Age of Innocence
by geekofyerdreams
Summary: 6th year story- Harry begins seeing visions again. Someone at Hogwarts has been chosen as a spy for Voldemort. The students must choose what side their on before the beginning of the war. Meanwhile a relationship blossoms between 2 unlikely people. D-HR
1. The Snake and the Lion

Number four; Privet Drive wasn't an ordinary house by any means, if sized up to the houses on the rest of the street. Of course, Mr. Vernon Dursley and his wife Petunia were as normal as could possibly be. It was their nephew, Harry Potter, whom they'd taken into their house fifteen years previous, who'd become the topic of rumors spreading about town, about the odd number of strange occurrences that seemed to keep happening, year after year since he'd been there. And after the strange incident, which occurred last summer, the Dursley's were considered just as strange as the boy they'd taken in.  
  
Neither Vernon nor Petunia had spoken to him once they picked him up from King's Cross. Vernon stewed to himself about how he could ever let this wretched freak into his house in the first place. Half of the Order had given him a stern lecture, and it wasn't something that Vernon Dursley took kindly to. Aunt Petunia stared out the window. Her cold shrewd face showing no signs of any emotion or empathy. Harry was sent straight to his room right away, which he was more than happy to oblige by. The less time he had to spend with them this summer the better. As he entered came to the foot of the stairs, he noticed to eyes peering from a crack in Dudley's door. He glared in their direction and the door slammed shut. He smiled to himself, and then put Hedwig's cage on his desk in his own room. He didn't bother to unpack. He was tired. He layed down on his bed and drifted off into the first dreamless sleep he'd had in a long time.  
  
When he awoke it was already evening. He'd been woken up by the call of his aunt down stairs. He sleepily came down the stairs and took his place at the table. Uncle Vernon looked at him and grunted, then focused his attention back onto the evening news. Aunt Petunia placed the cooked ham on the center of the table and sat down to eat.  
  
"And what'll I be having?" Harry asked. He was accustomed to getting bread and cheese, sometimes jam for dinner, and was a bit thrown back by the fact that she hadn't said one word to him since he came down.  
  
"Don't be foolish, you'll be having what we're having." she snapped. Dudley whined, but both she  
  
and Vernon ignored it. So they had taken Moody's threat seriously. He smiled to himself and grabbed a plate. And so the first few weeks went on like this. The Dursley's started treating him like family. Well sort of. Uncle Vernon wasn't yelling. He wasn't locked in his room. He had no curfew. And even Dudley wasn't picking on him as much. He wrote to Lupin every second day. Uncle Vernon loomed over him, just to make sure he was writing that he was having a splendid time.  
  
Three days before Dudley's birthday, Harry woke to his aunt looming over him. He sat up with a start, and put on his glasses. She was dressed to go out.  
  
"Get out of bed and get dressed. You're coming with me." she snapped.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"You're going to find your cousin a birthday present. Whatever he wants. After last summer's fiasco. You owe it to him. And don't think I'm that naive, I know your parents didn't leave you orphaned AND broke." she told him and left the room. He didn't know how to explain to his aunt that the only money his parents had left him was wizard money. He didn't think he could even buy Dudley a piece of gum for ten galleons. And he knew that Dudley would be asking for something other than a piece of gum. Then he remembered, he still had money from working with Mrs. Figgs that summer. He kept her company and did the house work for her, and in return she paid him, knowing very well that the Dursley's wouldn't give him a penny. Meanwhile he mumbled about how awful it was over there, just so that the Dursley's knew he wasn't having a good time. It gave them the satisfaction they needed, knowing he was miserable, and it was out of their control.  
  
So he went with his aunt and his cousin downtown to look for a gift. He only had about a hundred pounds on him, and he told Dudley that he had seventy-five from the start. So he knew that Dudley was going to find the one thing that was a hundred and two pounds, just to irritate him. Dudley pleaded, whined, and begged for them to check out the new sweetshop on the corner, so that was their first stop. Dudley drooled at the sight of the different flavored toffees and chocolates.  
  
Harry longed for a chocolate frog, or even a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Muggle candy didn't amuse him as much as it had did before entering Hogwarts. Harry giggled at the remembrance of the incident before his fourth year, when Dudley had eagerly fallen bait to one of the Weasley twins' joke toffees. His aunt gave him a stern look when he smirked out loud. Dudley had bought half the store it seemed, before they were finally back out onto the street. The first sight he saw made his stomach sink and his body go numb.  
  
There in the middle of downtown Surrey was Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was with his mother leaving the shop across the street. Some sort of clothing shop. He must have noticed Harry too, because he smirked and came walking towards him. Aunt Petunia looked at the boy with annoyance. She could tell he was one of her nephew's kind, for even though out amongst normal, he was carrying a wand.  
  
"So this is your family, Potter? Or what's left of it." Malfoy smirked. Dudley just looked at him, and hid a bit behind his mother. Harry stared at him, wanting him to just leave and not make a scene. He feared Malfoy might provoke him to use magic, but second thought that, realizing that Malfoy himself would be expelled too.  
  
"What do you want, Malfoy." He gripped his wand in his pocket, just in case.  
  
"I just thought I'd make acquaintances. It's not everyday you run into someone else from Hogwarts, now is it." he turned his attention from Harry back to Petunia.  
  
"Allow me to introduce myself. Draco Malfoy. And I offer my sorrow to you madam, and pity, for I know what it is like to have to be around a peer such as him. I think you're very kind and brave for the ordeals that he must put you through. As, I'm sure you're aware. Harry here has been labeled the menace of the entire school. As a prefect, I completely understand what you must go through, as I've had to give Harry punishment often, myself." He smiled charmingly at Aunt Petunia, who was at a loss for words.  
  
"That's a lie, Malfoy." Harry gritted.  
  
"Oh is it, Potter? I mean I might be mistaken, but wasn't it you who nearly got expelled last summer for using magic outside of school. Wasn't it your friends, and not you who happened to make it as Gryffindor prefect, last year? Was it not you, who got Cedric Diggory killed? And was it not you that lead to the death of Sirius Black just a month ago? Now correct me if I'm wrong, Potter. But I don't think those kind of actions are the things are anything that would earn your family, respect of you." Malfoy snarled with a smile.  
  
Petunia was looking around mortified by the conversation, not fully understanding it, and noticing onlookers beginning to pause to watch. If it wasn't bad enough that they'd been the talk of the town last summer for what'd happened, but her odd nephew was now it seemed, about to get into a fight with the whole town of Surrey to watch. She grabbed Harry's arm as he was about to lift his wand. Malfoy was content. Before Petunia rushed him off, he grabbed Harry's other arm.  
  
"I'd watch my back if I were you. There are rumors going around, and I myself would not want to be the one in your shoes this year. Enjoy your summer. See you at school, Potter." and with that he was gone.  
  
Infuriation was building up inside of Harry. How dare Malfoy approach him in the street like that, and then badmouth him to his already high tempered aunt. Reassuring her with nonsense. He desperately wanted to reach for his wand and send a curse at the back of Malfoy's head. It took all he had, to just continue to follow by his aunt. Dudley smiling smugly back at him.  
  
"Even your schoolmates don't like you. Loser." he remarked.  
  
Petunia was walking faster than she normally would. To get away from the Malfoy's, Harry presumed. Even if Malfoy was proving to be on her side, the mere sight of him obviously flustered his aunt, and she refused to speak of it. She turned her fear and annoyance at Harry, back lashing at him every chance he got. In the end, all Dudley had asked from him was an extremely high priced video game and a new CD. Once they'd finished shopping, they headed home. Petunia told Vernon about the meeting in the street, and Vernon laughed uneasily.  
  
"Sirius Black. The name sounds oddly familiar..." Vernon thought. Harry sat at the table waiting to be lectured. His aunt and uncle discussed it for a while.  
  
"He's a mass murderer. He was on the TV, three years back. Very, dangerous. I could've died." Harry lied to scare his aunt and uncle. He was still fuming about the meeting with Malfoy. They looked at him with disgust.  
  
"Just like your father, running off into things that wasn't his own business. That's why they were killed you know. I bet you thought you could kill this murderer, and be thought of as some sort of hero, did you boy?" Vernon shouted at him.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Tell the truth, boy!"  
  
"He was my godfather! I should've been spending the summer with him, not you! He died to save my life from Voldemort, because he actually cared about me! Diggory wasn't my fault either! Voldemort killed him! I couldn't stop him!"  
  
"Don't you raise your voice at me you good for nothing-" his uncle advanced on him, but Harry jumped up and ran upstairs. He took out some paper, and he began writing to Lupin. He told him about meeting Malfoy on the street, and everything his aunt and uncle had been saying about him. He then wrote similar letters to Ron and Hermione. Vernon opened the door, just as Hedwig had taken off with the letters.  
  
"I'm going to flog you for that one boy! Like you've never been before!" his uncle charged at him again. Harry jumped onto the bed.  
  
"I highly doubt that! I've fought Voldemort! Dementors and highly powerful wizards have attacked me! I've nearly been killed every year since I've been at Hogwarts. You think you're going to finish the job now!" he pulled out his wand and raised it at his uncle, so full of rage and anger. Sirius' death was just now beginning to take a toll on him, and he couldn't stop the emotions, he couldn't stop the pain.  
  
"You wouldn't dare use magic after last summer. I know you better than that boy!" Vernon yelled back.  
  
"Try me! I don't care if I'm expelled! I don't care if the dementors come after me! I don't care if I'm locked up in Azkaban! I will not take one more summer from you!" Harry screamed. The lights in the room began to flicker on and off. Vernon headed for the door. He looked like a dog with a tail between his legs. There was a loud sound from outside, and they both heard the door slam open from downstairs. Harry was losing concentration. His head was swimming; he couldn't deal with any of this. Malfoy had pushed him over his limit by blaming him for Sirius' death, when he'd been inevitably blaming himself since it'd happened.  
  
Lupin, Tonks, Moody, and Mr. Weasley, all came rushing into the room. Lupin held his wand at Harry.  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
Harry's wand flew out of his hand and to Lupin. Moody pushed Uncle Vernon out of the way, and Tonks scooted him out the door and shut it. Harry collapsed on the bed, his arms around his head. And he cried. He didn't know how long he layed there. He no longer had any recollection of who was in the room. He just sat on his bed and cried. Lupin put his arm around him.  
  
"You didn't kill him Harry. It was his duty to protect you. He died honorable, and by no means was it your fault." He tried to comfort.  
  
Suddenly Harry stopped crying. He wasn't going to cry anymore. He'd lost his parents; he'd lost his Godfather. The war against the one responsible was about to start. Harry had to focus on Voldemort now, and soon he thought, Dumbledore will have found a way to kill him, and everything will be fixed. His parents death, Sirius' death would be avenged.  
  
"We're going to take you to headquarters, Harry. It was stupid of us to even think that these muggles would take the warning, and heed by it." Moody mumbled.  
  
"Do you have your things together, Harry?" Tonks asked. He looked up at her. Her hair was brown today. He smiled at the familiar faces. He didn't have to worry about the rest of the summer. He didn't have to worry about seeing Malfoy again for another month and a half. He packed up his belongings and they were off back to the headquarters of The Order of the Phoenix. 


	2. Changes

Harry didn't know how long they'd been flying. It seemed like to time at all, before they were landing back down between houses number eleven and thirteen, Grimmauld Place. Harry closed his eyes and thought about the address for number twelve. When he opened his eyes, there lay the house that he'd gotten so acquainted with the summer before. Following the lead of the others, he walked through the front door and sat Hedwig's cage on a table near the door. Mrs. Weasley came running up to him and grabbed him into a huge hug.  
  
"Oh Harry, it's good to see you well and safe." she said soothingly. Ron and Hermione came running down stairs. Hermione hugged him tight.  
  
"We've missed you. We just got your owl! Malfoy! You'd think after his father was thrown in Azkaban, he'd go into hiding to save face." She commented.  
  
"He's not going to be easy to deal with this year. He's out for your head." Ron added.  
  
"He can bloody well try all he wants. He won't get far. I'm not worried about him." Harry told him, some anger in his voice. His friends backed away a bit. Lupin was talking to Mrs. Weasley, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. They kept glancing over at him, cautiously.  
  
"I'm going to bed." he muttered, then went upstairs to the room him and Ron had shared the previous summer. He didn't know how long he laid there in the dark. Ron didn't come up to join him. He was half pleased about it. He wasn't in the mood to be social, nor did he didn't want to talk about his run in with Malfoy in more detail. He'd heard what Lupin had said, but despite that, he still couldn't shake Sirius off his mind. He missed his Godfather. He was one of the only ones who really knew his parents. It made him feel closer to them, and now that feeling had been stripped away. Of course Lupin had been close with them. But it wasn't the same. The words Dumbledore had spoken to him at the end of the school year, lay fresh in his mind. If he'd hadn't gone after Sirius, then he'd still be alive. The invisible person in the painting near the room made mumbling noises as it drifted off to sleep. Soon Harry too, began to drift off.  
  
"That wretched boy. The thorn in my side... Dumbledore. We're back to the beginning!" Voldemort roared furiously. The few Death Eaters that were remaining, fidgeted slightly. If Voldemort was going to take out his anger, they were hoping it wouldn't be on them.  
  
"We'll have to get into the school another way. We have to get close to Harry Potter. I have a plan. The dragon should be up to the task. Yes. We'll use him. Fetch me, Lucius!" He yelled at a near by Dementor, who nodded in reply and drifted off out of view.  
  
Harry woke up. His scar burned deep into his skull. He cried out in pain, waking up Ron, who'd sometime earlier crawled into bed.  
  
"What's wrong Harry?"  
  
"Nothing." Harry mumbled, then turned back over and slept the rest of the night, dreamlessly.  
  
Harry grudgingly crawled out of bed. He'd been laying there thinking again all morning. When Mrs. Weasley came up to fetch him and Ron for breakfast, he told her he wasn't hungry. Now he was hungry, and felt stupid for missing breakfast. Lunch would be soon though. He got dressed and came down the stairs. The house-elf heads had been cleared out. He also noted there was no sign of Kreacher. Maybe he'd been presented clothing? But by who? He had no master left. Maybe that was enough for him to leave the home and search out Voldemort. He made a point of asking the Order later. If Kreacher was still around, he probably knew to stay as far away from Harry as possible.  
  
Ron and Hermione were going through charm books in the den, while Percy sat by them working on something for work. He nodded at Harry when he noticed he'd entered the room. It pleased Harry slightly to know that the Weasley family was yet again whole. Harry sat down next to Hermione.  
  
"About time you came down, we were wondering when you would." said Ron.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just had a few things to sort through. What are you working on?"  
  
"We're studying up on new charms to teach DA. Who knows when Dumbledore will need us again. The more prepared we are, the more of a chance we'll have."  
  
"Mum wrote to Dumbledore. Explaining to him that you're here and why. She's worried about you. Are you all right, Harry?"  
  
"I'm fine." was all he managed to say. He sat back and relaxed into the couch. He wanted to tell them about his dream, but it would lead to more discussion on the topic he liked the least. He'd wait until he could talk to Dumbledore. He got up and walked around the house. It was a lot different than the last time he was there. It was friendlier. The order had found a way to remove Mrs. Black's painting, so that there was no longer any screaming when they went down the corridor. The tapestry had been removed and a map of the world replaced it. To an ordinary stranger, there were no signs that anything evil had ever lived there. It made him feel a bit better, but he still wished his Godfather was there.  
  
Dumbledore came that night to dinner. This signified that there would be a meeting of the order tonight, and the others would be arriving shortly. He walked over to Harry and smiled.  
  
"It seems you've given your Aunt and Uncle a bit of a fright. Good show." was all he said, then took his place at the dinner table. Harry joined in between Ron and Hermione. Soon there were nine people sitting around the table in the kitchen. Lupin returned with Tonks from a secret mission for the Order. Moody came down at the smell of Mrs. Weasley's cooking, what he'd been up to was Harry's guess, but thought it was also for the Order. And lastly they were joined by Professors Snape and McGonagall. Harry leered at Snape, who gave him a weak smile, which still came out as a sneer. Harry wondered where Mr. Weasley was. When they'd all finished eating, they sat around to discuss the latest news.  
  
"Due to the recent events, I have made a firm decision that some changes should take place. The three of you, even though underage, may have the privilege of joining us in this meeting. It may become very useful to have you knowledgable." Dumbledore stated, as Hermione, Ron, and Harry stood up to leave. They sat back down. Everyone was quiet until at last someone spoke.  
  
"Despite our efforts over the last couple of months, Voldemort still has a great number of his followers. It seems that Azkaban can no longer be a safe place. The dementors as well know have turned to Voldemort, vile creatures they are. A number of the prisoners have managed to escape." Moody told them. Everyone nodded in agreeance. Harry presumed he'd said this for his sake. He'd still been trying to get whatever news he could from the Muggle papers, but it was to no avail. Moody started to go on, but Harry thought it was relevant to interrupt.  
"I had a dream about it last night." he blurted.  
  
"A dream?' Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Voldemort wants to try and find another way into the school. He mentioned a dragon, and he sent for Lucius Malfoy."  
  
"Then Lucius is out of Azkaban." Dumbledore commented with slight sadness in his voice.  
  
"Well it was just a dream." Percy stated, but stopped, noticing the look on his mother's face. He looked back down at the table.  
  
"Well, Harry? Was there any more?" Moody questioned.  
  
"No... that was it." Harry felt a bit foolish. He wished he had more to tell. He knew his dream wasn't anything the Order wouldn't already know by now. Moody just nodded.  
  
"I find it very peculiar he asked for Lucius, specifically." Percy commented.  
  
"He's one of Voldemort's most loyal. He's his right hand man. I'm sure he felt that Lucius was the only one who could do the job, and do it right." Moody replied irritably. It seemed that the order was still holding a slight grudge on Percy for the way he'd been acting the year before. Ever since the incident at the ministry, one by one more people began to believe Dumbledore to be not as crazy as they had believed. Percy'd returned home to make amends with his family, and wanted to help the best he could. But that didn't stop the elders of the order from being suspicious of him.  
  
"Draco... dragon..." Hermione muttered.  
  
"I'll be keeping a watchful eye on young Malfoy through out the year, Miss Granger. Don't you worry about it." Dumbledore stated with a gleam in his eye. He knew what she was thinking, even though she didn't voice it.  
  
"Another problem we have, is that Voldemort has gotten a hold of the rest of the prophecy. He now knows that he is bound to Harry's fate. He will be trying to find a way around this, and as quick as possible." Lupin informed them.  
  
"The ministry is on that, although it shall take a bit of time. There are still several trials to go through." Percy said immediately.  
  
"What good is a trial? They'll be locked up in Azkaban and free with in a matter of hours!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"We have other prisons, Mr. Weasley, other than Azkaban, with other guards than dementors. Ones dared not spoken of. Those found guilty now will be sent there." Dumbledore assured him. It went on for about an hour. They discussed possible plans that Voldemort might use to get into the school and where else to look for information. Snape was still spying, but as of late, Voldemort trusted him less, and spoke little to him of the plans. Harry took some joy out of the thought of Snape being rather useless at the moment, it was unlike the claims he'd made on Sirius. A taste of his own medicine. After the meeting adjourned, they were dismissed off to bed. Harry was too tired to discuss it with Ron, and fell into a deep sleep quickly. 


	3. The Letter

The days went by rather fast for the rest of the summer. Harry and his friends spent most of their time helping Mrs. Weasley around the house, and keeping up on their studying. The meetings of the Order had subsided. Harry hadn't seen Dumbledore since the first meeting. Snape and Moody, too, had also disappeared. Not that Harry was particularly saddened by this. The longer he got to live without Snape, the happier he was. Ron and Hermione had learned to quit asking him about his dreams and Sirius. And in their spare time, Harry was getting better at wizard chess and exploding snaps. Soon the week arrived for them to get their supplies for school. Mrs. Weasley had insisted that she do it, as she'd done nearly every year, but they wouldn't hear of it. They'd been cooped up inside the house all summer. They needed a day away from it.  
  
"I'm surprised she finally agreed, to be honest with you. The way she looks after us, like we're still first years." Ron commented. They'd stopped and got ice cream then looked at their list. Again, there wasn't really anything new. The only thing on there they didn't already have was 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 6)'. Easy enough. They stopped into Flourish and Botts.  
  
"I wonder..." Hermione mumbled to herself and walked upstairs, looking curiously through the books.  
  
"Great, now we'll never leave. She'll want to buy the whole store." Ron grumbled as he paid for his book. They heard a noise come from upstairs.  
  
"Just leave me alone, Malfoy!"  
  
"Hermione!" Harry and Ron said together, then bolted up the stairs after her. She had her wand towards the tall blond haired boy, who was almost doubled over with laughter.  
  
"Leave her alone, Malfoy!" Harry yelled at him. Malfoy stopped laughing and looked at Harry. He advanced on him,  
  
"Who's going to stop me? You or Weasley? Just so happens that my father is out of Azkaban. Who do you think he'll be going after next, eh Potter? Like I'd said, I really wouldn't like to be in your shoes this year. As for you, mudblood. I'll being seeing more of you, later." he pushed past Harry and Ron.  
  
"What was that about?" they asked in unison.  
  
"This..." she groaned and handed Harry a piece of paper. Ron peered over his shoulder to read.  
  
Mr. Draco Malfoy,  
I regret to inform you, that looking over your marks from the previous term, it is determined that you are failing half your courses. As you already know, the position of being a prefect also comes with the duty of being a leader and an example to the lower years. Satisfactory grades are a must! You shall have a tutor, by my selection, for the first term. If grades are not improved by Christmas, your position as prefect will be revoked. The tutor I have selected is, Hermione Granger. She will be informed of this upon arriving to Hogwarts, unless you have an further questions or comments. If so, send by owl immediately.  
Yours Sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress  
  
"You're going to have to tutor Malfoy?!" Ron exclaimed, reaching for the letter to read it again, as if there'd been some mistake.  
  
"You have to protest, explain to McGonagall your differences, she'll select a different tutor. Besides Malfoy probably told her that he didn't want you." Harry told her.  
  
"Malfoy said he wants me to tutor him. He already sent a letter agreeing that since I'm the smartest in our year, it was a respectable decision. Eight O'clock to Ten, five nights a week, the entire first term." She whined.  
  
"I'll bet he agreed just so he could see how many times he can say 'mudblood' in the span of two hours." Ron commented.  
  
"Hey you know, this might not be a bad thing." Harry suggested, reading over the letter. Ron and Hermione looked at him like he'd just betrayed them beyond forgiveness.  
  
"You can find out if Malfoy really is the one that Voldemort was talking about."  
  
"Right, I'm sure that Malfoy is just going to pour his heart and soul, if he has one that is, out to her after a couple of tutoring sessions."  
  
"No, I don't mean that. Watch the way he acts, how he behaves. If it seems like something is up, keep him from it longer. This might be a good thing."  
  
"You're right, I think that was Dumbledore's idea." Hermione agreed.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well he told me he'd be looking after Malfoy. This might be his way... having ME look after Malfoy."  
  
"Wow, Dumbledore must really have it out for you." Ron stated. Hermione shot him a threatening look. She then went back down stairs to pay for her required book, plus three more. When they got back to twelve Grimmauld Place, they had the confirmation. An owl had delivered Hermione a letter while they were in Diagon Alley, stating that she would be tutoring Draco Malfoy and to report straight to McGonagall's office once she'd gotten to the school. The rest of the week flew by. Soon they were packing their belongings and getting ready for the new school year. Harry felt a jolt in his stomach. After most summers, he enjoyed going back to Hogwarts. He hadn't wanted to leave when he'd gone home at the end of the year. Although now, he was feeling differently. Every year had gotten remarkably worse than the previous. After facing Voldemort four times in the past five years, he didn't know if he was ready to do it all over again. The past month living in the old Black house helped release him of some of his longing for Sirius. He'd learned to accept that he was gone. He wasn't going to come back as a ghost. He wasn't going to just be there whenever he needed him. He was a mere memory now. There were bigger things ahead, deciding both his and Voldemort's fate. He wasn't sure what this year was to entail, and was beginning to believe the common muggle phrase "ignorance is bliss."  
  
Fred and George showed up to see them off at King's Cross. They gave Percy a disconcerting look as he helped Ron load the luggage onto the train. They still didn't trust him. Mrs. Weasley was fidgeting with Ginny's hair, whose face was red with embarrassment. The pit in Harry's stomach continued to twist. He looked at the clock, the train would leave in five minutes.  
  
"So how's the joke shop been going?" Harry asked Fred, or at least whom he thought was Fred. He wasn't sure, so he looked at the both of them.  
  
"Business is going beautifully. We've even brought you some extendable ears. Without us snooping around Hogwarts hearing everything, you're going to need them." Fred replied. George handed him three pair. One for him, Ron, and Hermione.  
  
"And if you can sneak this to Malfoy, it'd be great." Fred handed him one of their fake wands.  
  
"In potions, preferably. I know the class would love to see him try and make Veritaserum with a rubber chicken." George smiled.  
  
"I'll do what I can." Harry told them and put them in his pocket. Mrs. Weasley, Percy, Ginny, Lupin, and Hermione joined them.  
  
"Well you four best be off now, don't want to miss the train. You're all growing up so much."  
  
"Now, Molly. Don't worry they'll all be back for Christmas break."  
  
"Don't forget to write. And Ron, look after your sister. You're the only Weasley she has now" Mrs. Weasley told her son.  
  
"Let Dumbledore know as soon as you can if anything strange happens or if you have anymore of those dreams, Harry. You know your duties as well, Hermione." Lupin reminded. Hermione nodded, knowing it was in reference to Malfoy. Harry wasn't too keen at the thought of running to Dumbledore every time he had a bad dream. They were too frequent. He often dreamt of his Godfather's last moments, his battles near death, and his parents. If he went running to Dumbledore every time he woke up with his scar hurting from a bad dream, he might as well be sleeping in Dumbledore's chamber. But he gave Lupin a smile and nodded. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny all boarded the Hogwarts Express. Ron and Hermione went off for the prefects meeting, while Harry and Ginny tried to find a seat.  
  
Ginny found a seat quickly next to Dean Thomas, leaving Harry to find his own place. He considered finding Luna Lovegood to have a shot at getting out of her, what she'd meant by seeing her dead loved ones, but then he thought it might not be the best idea. He found an empty seat occupied only by two other first years. He threw himself into the corner and looked out the window. He heard the first years gawking at his scar, and whispering.  
  
"That's Harry Potter!"  
  
"Let me see! It's really him!"  
  
About an hour later, Ron and Hermione found them. Ron kicked out the two first years, and sat down next to Harry.  
  
"Malfoy, is infuriating!" Hermione fumed as she sat across from Harry.  
  
"He's really bad this time around. I think the whole mess with his father has sent him on some sort of mental hiatus. Especially at us. No doubt his father has explained to him that it was you, Harry, who technically put him in Azkaban."  
  
"Lucius Malfoy put himself in Azkaban. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is where all Malfoy's belong." Harry replied, just as the door to the compartment slid open. Malfoy sneered at him.  
  
"I dare you to say that again, Potter."  
  
"As far as I'm concerned, all Malfoy's belong in Azkaban." Harry repeated, standing up.  
  
"At least my parents are still alive. Aren't stupid enough to get themselves killed. That's what hanging out with half-breeds will get you. I'll remember to take off ten points from Gryffindor when we get to the school."  
  
"Enjoy your prefect powers now, Malfoy. As of Christmas, you'll be a nobody again."  
  
"Don't speak to me about social status, Weasley." Malfoy spit at him then left.  
  
"He's definitly his father's son." Hermione commented, closing the compartment door.  
  
They got to the school and gathered in the Great Hall, except for Hermione and Malfoy who were summoned to McGonagall's office. The sorting hat put nine new people into Gryffindor. Dumbledore gave his annual speech and everyone began to eat. Hermione joined them a while later, followed by Malfoy who looked back at her, smiling, as he headed for the Slytherin table.  
  
"What's McGonagall want?" Ron asked, with a mouthful of chicken pie.  
  
"He's failing Charms, Transfiguration, Care of Magical, and Arithmancy."  
  
"I think the only reason he's in this school is because his father was paying. Now that his family name is dirt, he has to get things the normal way." Harry stated and glared at Malfoy from across the hall. He was talking to Pansy Parkinson, kissing her hand.  
  
"Well that explains the five times a week."  
  
" They would do well with just getting rid of Slytherin all together, and anyone not fit for Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor, should be eighty-sixed out of the school, immediately. Save us all the trouble." Harry's feelings toward Malfoy had grown even colder.  
  
"Well, we start tonight."  
  
"Classes haven't even started yet!" Ron argued.  
  
"I know, we're getting a head start in Transfiguration. McGonagall gave me the syllabus. If I don't return by Ten fifteen, come and get me. Promise?"  
  
"Sure thing." Harry told her. They finished eating, then the prefects lead the first years to their house common rooms. Afterwards, Hermione left Ron and Harry in the prefects common room, and followed Malfoy to the Transfiguration classroom.  
  
"I feel for her. I couldn't do it." Ron stated as they started playing a game of Exploding Snap. No sooner than she'd left, she was back.  
  
"I don't know HOW Dumbledore expects me to do this!" she said flustered, running off to her room. 


	4. Warnings

By the time Ron had finished beating Harry at a second round of chess, it was already ten o'clock. Hermione had been gone for two hours. Harry finished cleaning up the chest set, as Ron peered out the common room and down through the staircases looking for any site of her.  
  
"She should be back by now, Harry. What if he's done something to her. They're working on Transfiguration. He could've turned her into something." he said worriedly, returning to where Harry was standing. Harry shrugged.  
  
"We're not that advanced in Transfiguration. She can take care of herself." he commented, although he didn't believe it himself. He was a bit worried. She's been tutoring him for over a month. Usually Hermione was back by nine, flustered and annoyed by whatever Malfoy had been saying through the tutoring session. It was without fail. She should have been back by now.  
  
"I'm going to get her." Ron said boldly, before Harry stopped him.  
  
"If Filch sees you, you'll be dead. Let's take the invisibility cloak." Harry told him. He rushed up stairs and got it. He and Ron made sure they were both completely covered then headed out towards the Transfiguration room. The door was open. They snuck in quietly. Hermione was talking about how to turn a turtle into a pincushion, something they'd gone over years earlier. Malfoy was looking bored. He had his head resting on his hand and he was drifting in an out.  
  
"Are you even listening to me?!" Hermione snapped. He woke up.  
  
"Yeah sure, you just flick your wand and voila a cushion." he yawned. She rolled her eyes at him and pulled out the turtle. Ok, try it."  
  
"I'm going to bed." he stated and stood up. She pushed him back down. He glared at her.  
  
"You're not teaching me anything I don't already know." he growled.  
  
"Fine we'll move onto this week's homework. Now what do you remember about turning a kitten into a full grown cat?"  
  
"I don't remember. Listen, it's ten thirty. I'm going to bed." he stopped for a moment and looked her over. A look Harry had never seen in Malfoy before. He couldn't explain it.  
  
"That is unless you can give me a better reason for staying, other than kittens." Malfoy added and moved closer. Ron gulped from underneath the invisibility cloak. They moved closer for a better view.  
  
"W-what do you mean?" Hermione moved a little further away from him, but he moved closer again.  
  
"I mean, we're all alone. Everyone's gone to bed. I know it's probably been hard having to work with me, all the sexual tension..." his lips were right next to Hermione's. Harry had to do all he could to hold Ron back. He too wanted to jump out, take Malfoy by surprise, but he knew that as a prefect, Malfoy could harm him far worse, without having to touch him. They had to sit there and bear it while they watched their sworn enemy kissing their best friend. Ron was now fuming. Mid-kiss, Malfoy broke it and pushed Hermione away. He stood up and headed for the door. She looked at him confused at his behavior.  
  
"Filthy mudblood, what made you think I wanted to kiss you. Never touch me again, or I'll kill you." he spit on the ground and walked off. Hermione got up and slammed the door behind him. Harry and Ron revealed their identity and went over to Hermione.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, completely taken back.  
  
"You hadn't returned we wanted to make sure Malfoy hadn't done anything to you." Harry said calmly. He didn't want to make matters worse by yelling at her. Ron, on the other hand, had different feelings.  
  
"Why were you kissing Malfoy?! Malfoy of all people! That's the most repulsing thing I've ever seen!"  
  
"No one asked you to be here!" she snapped back at him.  
  
"You'll let just anyone on you won't you? You've sunk low, Hermione. Malfoy?! How long has this been going on?!"  
  
"Nothing's going on! I don't know where that came from! I'm sorry!" she started to cry and sat back down at the desk. Ron's anger suddenly changed directions.  
  
"I'm going to kill Malfoy! I'm going after him right now."  
  
"No, don't! It's my fault. It's my fault." she cried.  
  
"What do you mean, Hermione?" Harry asked. He was completely confused by the whole situation. Malfoy had been right to some degree. Why would he kiss her? They despised him, as much as he despised them.  
  
"I was trying to cast a spell. He kept falling asleep. I wanted to cast a spell so that we could get through this without him saying anything mean, without him getting up and leaving. I couldn't bear to think what he'd tell McGonagall. He's threatened to tell her that I've been the one provoking fights. That I've been teaching him the wrong things to fail on purpose. He wants me out of this school. He doesn't like being showed up. He doesn't want his father to have another excuse to yell at him. He-"  
  
"What spell did you cast? A love spell?" Harry interrupted.  
  
"No, I mean I casted a mood modifier charm. But unfortunately it only works through your inner most feelings. Ever since I started working with him, I haven't been able to stop from noticing, he's changed. He's growing up."  
  
"He's still Malfoy, Hermione!"  
  
"Yeah, but he's not the tiny scrawny Malfoy we used to pick fights with in the past. He's..."  
  
"You think Malfoy's cute! God, Hermione! How could you even think that about HIM. He's repulsive! He's a Slytherin. He's out to kill Harry!"  
  
"I couldn't help it. The charm must've reacted on those subconscious feelings. And it must've stopped working while we were kissing. I didn't mean for that to happen!"  
  
"Why'd you kiss him back. You could've pushed him away! Hermione! You were kissing Draco Malfoy!" Ron was still overreacting. The yelling must've attracted some attention because McGonagall and Snape showed up at the entrance of the transfiguration room.  
  
"What are you three doing out of bed?" McGonagall asked. She was wearing a sleeping gown and a very tired expression. Snape was still dressed, although his expression showed he was very annoyed about having to come up from whatever he'd been doing.  
  
"You three have defied the rules, this particular rule often, since your first year at Hogwarts. You especially...Potter." Snape snarled.  
  
"It's my fault. Draco and I let our lesson go to late. They just came looking for me." Hermione explained.  
  
"Where's Mr. Malfoy now?" McGonagall asked.  
  
"He left a little while ago. Before Ron and Harry got here."  
  
"fifteen points from Gryffindor for each of you. And detention for you three and Mr. Malfoy. I specifically told you Hermione, your lessons were to go no later than ten. Get back to your rooms now, while Professor Snape and I decide on your appropriate punishments." McGonagall's lips were pierced so tight, that Harry was sure he was going to get a lashing as he walked past, picking up his invisibility cloak. Snape noticing this, stopped Harry in his tracks.  
  
"Potter! Come here a minute." he called. Harry drudged back to the room, waving to Ron and Hermione as they turned the corridor.  
  
"This invisibility cloak is the cause for many of these late night rendezvous'. I don't think it is an appropriate item for a student of Hogwarts to have. I believe it has given Potter the belief that with it, he can go wherever he wants, whenever he wants. I suggest confiscating it till further notice." Snape commented.  
  
"It was Dumbledore's decision to give it to him, and only Dumbledore can take it from him. He gave it to Harry for good reason, and it may be needed in these dark times. Especially, Harry. But, your opinion Severus, has been dually noted, I will mention it to the headmaster. Now if you excuse me, I'd like to get back to my room. Goodnight, Severus. Goodnight, Potter." she stated then apparated from where she was. Snape sneered at Harry, and followed him to the Gryffindor tower. After making sure he'd climbed through the portrait hole, he himself turned around and headed back towards the dungeon.  
  
Hermione and Ron were still arguing quietly, waiting his return.  
  
"But Malfoy??" Ron groaned.  
  
"Get over it, Ron. We need to get to bed. We'll see you tomorrow Harry."  
  
Hermione said and grabbed Ron's arm. They headed back up to their room. Harry layed down on the bed in his own room, and fell asleep almost instantly. He soon slipped into dreams.  
  
Voldemort was talking to his death eaters. The vision wasn't clear, but Harry recognized the deep red eyes glowing from underneath the black cloak. Around him stood his faithful death eaters, a few giants, and a hoard of dementors.  
  
"There is young blood at Hogwarts. One who'll be able to help us get to Harry Potter. From what I'm told by Lucius, he's being tutored by one of Harry's closest allies. We must have him on our side, he's a valuable resource. Lucius, offer your son a spot on my army."  
  
"He will take it gladly my lord. Narcissa and I have prepared him well for this moment. He's only been awaiting your calling." Lucius stepped out of the line of death eaters and bowed to Voldemort.  
  
"Very well then, send word to him tonight." at that Harry bolted awake.  
He had to tell Hermione. He had to tell Dumbledore. Dumbledore. Hermione could wait. Harry once again, pounced out of bed and threw the invisibility cloak over him. He considered waking Ron, but rethought the decision, it was too risky, them both getting caught again by Snape, who he was sure was still wandering the hallways or worse waiting outside the portrait hole. He ran down the stairs, almost getting stuck in a trip step and headed towards Dumbledore's office. Would he see him? What time was it? Even Dumbledore needed sleep. He wasn't paying attention when he ran smack right back into Snape. 


	5. The Late Night Meeting

"Do you not have ears, Potter? Have you gone deaf? Why must you insist on continously breaking the rules?" Snape asked reaching his hands around until he landed on a soft silky material. He pulled on it, and in an instant Harry appeared.  
  
"Fifty points from Gryffindor. Now go!" Snape snapped.  
  
"It's important, I have to see Dumbledore!" Harry gasped, catching his breath.  
  
"You can see him in the morning."  
  
"It has to do with Volde-"  
  
"Stop! He's seeing another student. You'll have to wait." Snape said, reluctantly .  
"It can't wait! I have to see him now!" Harry couldn't make it more urgent if he tried. He thought through his mind for a spell that would allow him to get past Snape. Snape must've sensed this because he finally said,  
  
"I'll lead you up. But I must warn you, he's seeing someone else right now, and it's of upmost importance, to the order." Snape added this last bit, hushly. Irritated, he turned around and muttered the password  
  
"pea soup."  
  
The gargoyle shifted, and he led Harry up the steps to Dumbledore's office. He knocked on the door and opened it on command.  
  
"Potter wanted to see you sir, I tried to send him back off to bed, but he wouldn't hear of it."  
  
"Thank you, Severus. Harry, Come in and have a seat." Dumbledore said, winking at him with a sparkle in his eye. Harry entered the room, and felt the breeze as Snape slammed the door behind him. The person in the other chair in front of Dumbledore's desk turned around. It was Draco Malfoy.  
  
'Come in, come in! I was just having a nice chat with young Malfoy here. But if what you think is important, we should hear it, I believe."  
  
Harry sat down next to Malfoy. He didn't know how he was going to tell Dumbledore about his dream with Malfoy there. His anger from earlier in the evening started to come back. The whole ordeal with Hermione. He pushed it from his mind, reminding himself that it wasn't Malfoy's fault, and this was important.  
  
"Well then, what is it?" Dumbledore asked. Malfoy glared at him with a snarl on his lips.  
  
"I had a dream."  
  
"Oh yes, dreams can be something. I had one the other night that I'd won the quidditch world cup, but that's not what we're hear to discuss. Continue."  
  
"Well um..." Harry really didn't know how to go on. Malfoy continued to stare and Dumbledore waited patiently.  
  
"I kind of need to tell you in private." he finally said.  
  
"Then you can wait your turn, Potter. I was here first." Malfoy remarked. Harry wondered what Malfoy was doing there. He hoped it didn't have anything to with Hermione. She could end up in big trouble for love charms. But somehow, he didn't think Malfoy to be the type to run to the headmaster, just because some girl had accidentally casted the wrong charm causing him to kiss her. If anything, he knew that Malfoy would make it the subject of his next taunting. But he couldn't think of any other reason why Malfoy might be talking with Dumbledore. Unless he'd already recieved the letter from his father, and he was going to try and find a way out of the school through excuses, to get to the dark lord. But he had to know that Dumbledore wouldn't be that easily fooled.  
  
"Your dream, Harry. Did it have anything to do with young Malfoy here?"  
  
"Um...no?" but he didn't sound convincing.  
  
"Then do go on." he couldn't understand why Dumbledore didn't just send him or Malfoy out into the hallway. Why drag him through this?  
  
"Anything you can say about it, you can say to Mr. Malfoy. I think I better explain his reasoning for being here first, that might loosen your nerves. Draco came to see me about forty-five-- Dear me, forty-six minutes ago. He'd just recieved a letter from his father, summoning him to the Dark Lord." Dumbledore told him. Malfoy smirked. Harry was at a loss for words. Why would Malfoy tell Dumbledore about the letter? The whole school knew Dumbledore was trying to stop Voldemort from taking power. Dumbledore, seeing as this didn't help Harry in the slightest, continued.  
  
"Though I know you have reason to believe otherwise, he is however, not like his father. He does not wish to make the same mistakes or be dealt the same punishment when this is all over. He came to me for guidence."  
  
"I saw it in my dream. Voldemort. He was asking Lucius to bring him in order to use him as a spy. Hermione is tutoring him, and Voldemort felt that was a good way to sneak into our defenses and find out what we know. How do you know that he's not doing that now?" Harry shot Malfoy a look of disgust.  
  
"Pray continue." Dumbledore said, bemused by this.  
  
"He could easily just be telling you this, to get on our side, as a ploy, and get even more information. Snakes are cunning." he shot this directly at Malfoy, who pretended to be scared.  
  
"I have no reason not to trust, Draco. I know he is speaking the truth, Harry. He is on our side. However, I wish for neither of you to speak of this outside this room. To anyone. The last thing that Voldemort needs, is to know that we've discovered his plan. For there are other spies within these castle walls. So I must ask you both to drop it from you mind. Mr. Malfoy, I will call on you again soon, when I have decided what we shall do. In the mean time, if your father does happen to write about not getting a response, come to me immediatly, and we will do something then. I think you two still have enough time to get a cat nap in before you're due at breakfast. Good morning, to the both of you." Dumbledore smiled. Both Malfoy and Harry stood up, and left Dumbledore's office.  
  
"I don't believe a word of it, Malfoy. I'm keeping my eyes on you. If you slip once, I'll see it."  
  
"Do what you please. But if I see you snooping around me, I'll make sure the Gryffindor house pays. It doesn't do good to threaten a prefect, Potter. Ten points from Gryffindor." Malfoy lashed back, and turned in the opposite direction.  
  
"And I know what you did to Hermione!" Harry called out to him. Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks. He turned back around and looked straight into Harry's eyes.  
  
"Ten more points from Gryffindor. And I wouldn't touch your filfthy mud-blooded friend if she were the last female witch in existance. She put the spell on me. And trust me, she'll get all the attention she desires from it. You can tell her that, from me, with love." he turned back around and strode off.  
  
"Oh, and tell her I'll see her at our tutoring session tonight. If she doesn't show up, I'll tell McGonagall." he added as he turned the corner.  
  
Harry went back to Gryffindor tower. He was tired, sore, and felt a little guilty for having lost Gryffindor eighty-five points, in one night. He didn't know how he was going to explain it to the rest of the house. He couldn't just go tell them it was to save their life, that would risk exposure of the plans of the order. And he'd been instructed by Dumbledore not to mention anything about Malfoy being involved. He sank back into his four poster bed, just as the sun was beginning to come up.  
  
He was woken up again by Ron for breakfast. They hurried down to the common room where Hermione was crying. They went over to her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Harry asked finally, seeing that Ron was still mad about the previous night, and was on another one of his no talking sessions. Hermione shoved a piece of paper into Harry's hand. He opened it up.  
  
"Hermione Granger Loves Draco Malfoy." it read. That was all it read. Plain and simple. Harry couldn't see why she was so upset over this.  
  
"What's the big deal, Hermione?" Harry asked her. She dragged him out into the hallway. The stair cases and hallways were covered in papers, all reading the same message. Professor McGonagall came down from her room, her face in horror. She casted a spell, and the papers vanished.  
"What on earth is this about?"  
  
"Malfoy did it."  
  
"Well you three better run along to breakfast. I'll look into this." she told them and hurried them off to the Great Hall. The papers had already done their damage though, people were staring at her from every house and whispering about the rumor. She looked over at Draco who was liplocked with Pansy Parkinson. He stopped for a minute to look at her and smiled, then turned his attention back on Pansy. Hermione had tears in her eyes again.  
  
"It was a simple charm mistake." she muttered as they sat down. They'd started eating when Draco made his way over to their table.  
  
"I expect to see you tonight for tutoring, Granger. We have an exam coming up." he told her, placing his hands against the table and leaning closer to her.  
  
"I'm done tutoring you. You can fail on your own accord." she snapped at him. He backed off and smiled.  
  
"No, you'll be there. Or I'll go straight to McGonagall and Snape, telling them both how you hexed me. If that charm hadn't been broken by my complete distaste in you, who knows where it could've lead." he leaned in closer to her "And that could be accounted for as attempted rape. You'd be expelled and sent back to your stupid muggle parent." he whispered to her. Her eyes welded up with tears again. He smirked and walked away, putting his arm around Pansy as they left.  
  
"And Dumbledore wants me to believe he isn't up to something. He's pure evil." Harry muttered and put his arm around Hermione. He looked over at Ron who was red in the face with anger, he got up and went after Malfoy. Harry tried to stop him, but just missed grabbing him. He and Hermione went after him.  
  
"Hey, Malfoy!' Ron yelled. Malfoy turned around and walked over to Ron.  
  
"May I help you, Weasley?" he asked getting in Ron's face.  
  
"Hermione... w-wouldn't touch you either. The c-charm was just to keep your blogger head awake so you'd actually learn something. S-She was trying to help you. Find someone else to tutor you, leave our Hermione alone!" Ron said. He couldn't help but be nervous, even though he and Malfoy were about the same height. Malfoy's presence was still intimidating. He waited for the punch, but it never came. Malfoy had backed off him.  
  
"As much as I hate to admit it, Weasley. You're girlfriend is the smartest in the school. She will be tutorting me because I don't accept anything but the best. So learn to deal with it. I can't help it if she's more attracted to me. Maybe it's the money?" and he walked off to rejoin Pansy. 


	6. Mishaps

That night Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched the clock in the common room. Eight O'clock was approaching. Harry watched Hermione as she nervously shifted in her seat. They'd been trying to come up with some sort of excuse to get her out of the tutoring session, but with no prevail.  
  
"I wish there was a quick way to get a hold of Fred and George. One of their Skiving Snackboxes would come in real handy right about now." Ron said, hopelessly. They continued to watch the clock, until Hermione stood up.  
  
"Well, I have to go tutor, thanks for all the help guys. It's been splendid." she remarked sarcastically.  
  
"I have an idea!" Harry announced. We'll come with you again, using the cloak. If Malfoy does anything rash we'll jump out and get him."She smiled at them.  
  
"Thanks you guys. I hope you don't mind though, it's going to be a really long two hours. He sleeps through most of it." she told them. Harry dashed up the stairs and grabbed the cloak. Then off they were to the transfiguration room. Draco was waiting outside, making out with Pansy Parkinson. He saw Hermione approaching and pushed Pansy aside.  
  
"All ready then, teacher." he smiled and followed her into the classroom. Pansy tried to kiss him goodbye, but he pushed her face out of the way. Harry and Ron had just enough time to sneak past him and into the room before he closed the door. They then went over to an empty desk and sat down to guard Hermione. Draco sat down next to Hermione, pretty close, and asked her what the study plans were for the day.  
  
"Well you seem to be falling way behind in Care of Magical Creatures." She commented quietly looking over his grades.  
  
"Well with a dumb ox like that game keeper, how do you expect me to learn anything. Ever since that experience with that foul horse thing, I've been staying clear away from anything that oaf brings near us. Blast- Ended screwts the next year. He's completly off his rocker, Granger."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy. Hagrid's new at this. He just sees beauty in creatures that we don't. Just because they're not completly safe and by regulations, doesn't mean we can't learn something from them." she stated, her voice starting to trail off. She was staring at him again. Ron looked at Harry to see if he caught any double meaning in what she'd said. He looked back at Ron and shrugged.  
  
"You know, Malfoy... you're failing every class except Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. How'd you become prefect, anyway? Did your father pay?"  
  
"No, I'm just the only one in Slytherin who can actually think for themselves. Let's get to work." he replied. So Hermione began to go over the course with him. Harry and Ron had been sitting there for an hour and a half, listening to Hermione go on about Unicorns and Cenetaurs. Malfoy reminded her how he'd been there that night in their first year, and didn't need reminding of Unicorns or Cenatuars. So they moved on to Dragons. She had his full attention up until the point where she was talking about how to train a dragon. He was falling asleep again.  
  
"Don't use the charm again Hermione. Please don't be stupid." Ron and Harry, prayed quietly. She flogged Malfoy over the head with her wand to wake him up.  
  
"I'm listening! You don't have to hit me!" he snapped at her.  
  
"It's almost ten anyway, let's call it a night." she told him. He nodded. They got their things together and headed for the door. He stopped her and pushed her up against one of the cabinets. Ron and Harry got up to charge him, but found they couldn't move. Malfoy had his wand pointed in their direction. Did he know they were there? Hermione struggled against his strength. He had her arms pinned to the cabinets. He began to kiss her, and as soon as he did, she relaxed a bit, still trying to free herself. He bit into her lip and kissed her again. Then let go of her with force. He wiped the small amount of blood off of his own lips.  
  
"Thirty points from Gryffindor for Weasley and Potter, who are sneaking around where they don't belong. And ten for you, Granger... just because I feel like it." and he left the classroom. Ron and Harry came out from under the cloak.  
  
"How did he know we were there?"  
  
"I don't know. I thought only Mad-eye could see us... and Dumbledore... I don't know." Harry stammered. They went over to Hermione. She was crying again and wiping the blood of her face.  
  
"I'm telling Dumbledore." Ron said and moved towards the door.  
  
"No!" Hermione yelled.  
  
"Why not?! He's hurt you!"  
  
"Because he'll tell on me."  
  
"For his idea of attempted rape? I'm sorry, Mione, but it's the other way 'round." Ron told her. While she'd told Ron not to go to Dumbledore, Harry she'd failed to mention. As soon as she made sure Ron was okay taking her to the prefects room, Harry made his way to Dumbledore's office. He was stopped on the way there. Malfoy pinned him up against the wall.  
  
"Breath a word of it, any of it, to the headmaster, and I will turn and tell Voldemort everything. It's a matter of trust, Potter. I trust you not to go poking your nose around every corner and acting like a tattling little first year, and you can trust me to help against Voldemort."  
  
"Only if you promise not to touch Hermione again, Malfoy."  
  
"Yeah, ok. whatever." he absentmindley agreed as he walked away from Harry. Sure, Malfoy was mean, but even Harry didn't think Malfoy would stoop that low. He had to look out for Hermione's safety.  
  
"Hermione!" Ron called after her. She was walking towards the Great Hall. Harry followed behind Ron. She stopped.  
  
"Hey, how'd you guys do on your transfiguration exam?"  
  
"We failed." Harry and Ron said in unison.  
  
"What? You've been studying all week! How'd you fail?"  
  
"Well we figured if we failed the test, then you'd have to tutor us too. That way we can keep an eye on Malfoy." Harry explained to her. They walked through the great doors and waved to Nearly Headless Nick. He nodded at the curtly, then went over to scare a couple of first years.  
  
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." She said as they sat down. She looked over at Malfoy who was staring back.  
  
"What are you talking about, it's a brilliant idea! He won't have the nerve to pull something like that if we're all there."  
  
"He knew you were there before."  
  
"But that was different. We're not hiding anything, and he knows we have every right to tell McGonagall, because we weren't wrongly out of bed."  
  
"No, I just mean. One of us, he can deal with. Not well, but I'm actually getting through to him with this work. He hasn't pulled anything since Tuesday night. I think that you being there is just going to land us back at square one and we'll be fighting the whole two hours. He hates you Harry, he might try and duel you."  
  
"We fail on purpose so we can be there for you, and now you're telling us you don't want us there? What's going on with you Hermione? Are you falling for Malfoy? After what he did?" Ron accused.  
  
"No! It's just the sooner the tutoring is over, the sooner we can all go back to our everyday lives. I can't stand being in the same room as him, but I have to. You two don't."  
  
That night they caught up with Hermione as she headed to the Transfiguration classroom. Malfoy was already inside, reading a book.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" he asked, throwing the book aside onto the desk. He stood up.  
"We failed the exam too. Hermione always helps us, and since she's been too busy with you, we got permission to join in." Harry replied, cooly. They all sat down and opened their Transfiguration books, except Malfoy, who just scowled at Ron and Harry.  
  
"Come on, stop being a baby."  
  
"Shut up, Granger."  
  
"Don't talk to her that way!" Ron stood up.  
  
"Or what, Weasley?!" Malfoy stood up to face him. Ron pointed his wand at him.  
  
"You made a great ferret, how would you enjoy that lifestyle again?"  
  
"Ron, stop. Draco, sit down." Hermione jumped between them. As the boys sat down, Harry fell over, screaming in pain.  
  
"Harry! What's wrong!"  
  
"My scar." Harry clutched his head, huddled on the ground. Malfoy just stared, wide eyed. None of them knew quite what to do. Hermione ran to Harry's side.  
  
"It's you! You're working for Voldemort!" Ron accused and lifted his wand again.  
  
"Shut up! I didn't do anything!" was the last Harry heard before blackness took over him and he slipped into the unconscious world. 


	7. The Dream

"Where are we?" Hermione asked. She couldn't see anything, she was in blackness. She didn't even know if she was alone or if the rest of the group was in the darkness with her.  
  
"How the hell am I supposed to know?" she heard Malfoy say. She began to feel her way through the dark. Her hand landed on fabric. She recognized it immediatly as Hogwarts robes.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Get your hands off me, mudblood." she felt herself being pushed away. She took out her wand.  
  
"Lumos!" she called out. Malfoy repeated after her. They were in a small room. The walls were made of old warn dark brick, the roof leaked, and the smell of dirt and mold filled her nose. There were no windows. As she turned around she noticed the door to the room was barred like that of a prison cell. There were two beds, both made out of old rotting wood. Dead rats and bugs laid decomposing on the floor and under the beds.  
  
"Where are we?" she repeated. She felt Malfoy pull on her robes. She looked at him. He wore an expression of fear on his face and pointed towards the door. A dementor peered at them from under it's hood.  
  
"I think we're in Azakaban." she gasped.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" called out a deep voice from behind the dementor, hidden in the blackness of the rest of the prison. Lucius Malfoy stepped out into view, still holding their glowing wands. He came into the cell, he lit one of the torches hanging from the wall.  
  
"When we bought you this wand, Draco... we were under the impression that you would do great things for your family. When we sent you to Hogwarts, we were sure you were going to do great things. We've prepared you for this time, and AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY US!" he yelled at his son.  
  
"Father, I-"  
  
"Shut up! When you never answered my letter, I figured you'd gone soft and went running to Dumbledore."  
  
"I didn't, father."  
  
"Don't you dare lie to me. You've softened yourself to filthy blood. We had the perfect plan, and you let this mudblood get to you!"  
  
"She didn't get to me. I can't stand her. This has nothing to do with her, father."  
  
"I have no son. You'll remain here until the Dark Lord requests to see you." and with that, Lucius left. Malfoy sat down on one of the beds.  
  
"Draco..." Hermione didn't know what to say to him. Part of her was happy, Malfoy deserved this. But at the same time, she couldn't help feeling a bit bad for him.  
  
"Shut up! This is your fault, Mudblood." Draco pushed her up against one of the walls. His hand pushing against her throat. She struggled to get free. With no magic, she was helpless.  
  
"I should kill you right here." he pushed on her harder. She kneed him in the stomach.  
  
"How is this my fault?" she managed to get out, gasping for breath.  
  
"I don't know, it just is!" he yelled at her.  
  
"Why did you go to Dumbledore? You should've known your father would find out eventually. He's right, maybe you have gone soft, Draco Malfoy."  
  
"For your information, I ran to Dumbledore so that I could get in his good grace and find out your plans. My father knows that. Did you think it was by accident that we kept kissing?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"My father knows what's going through my head at all times! God, you're supposed to be smart. He's a deatheater, Granger! He has control over me, whenever he wants."  
  
"So you're telling me, your father put you under some sort of spell to kiss me. Malfoy, I think you've lost it. The reason you kissed me was because I messed up on a spell. I was trying to keep you awake so I casted a mood modifyer charm."  
  
"So you casted a charm that was so good that it broke through the fact, THAT I CAN'T STAND YOU?! You mudbloods are so nieve. Don't be so narsisstic. You may be good, Granger, but you're not that good. Your charms won't work on me. I'm better than you. My father did it because he knew I'd hate it. He did it because he wanted me to do it. He wanted me to seduce you and get information out of you. When I refused, he took it upon himself, and i fought it. That's why he thinks I've gone soft. Honestly, I wouldn't care what happens to you, but the thought of having to seduce YOU makes me sick."  
  
"You still didn't answer my question. Why did you go to Dumbledore? You didn't have to tell him about the letter. You could've easily made up a lie and gone to see Voldemort whenever you pleased."  
  
"I may not like Dumbledore, but I know he's smarter than that. I know the reason for you tutoring me was so you could spy on me, like I was sent to spy on you. You really think I need help with my schoolwork? If I was that stupid, I wouldn't be a prefect. I'm a prefect because I'm smart. Obviously smarter than you, Granger."  
  
"Harry was right about you. We didn't have any reason to trust you."  
  
"Get over it. I didn't find out anything, that's why my father is furious." he rolled his eyes at Hermione.  
  
"So are you a death eater?"  
  
"That's not of your business. None of this is your business, so I don't even know why I'm talking to you. Now shut up. Leave me alone."  
  
"Malfoy...?" Hermione muttered after they sat in silence for what seemed like an age.  
  
"What?" he asked, annoyed.  
  
"What is Voldemort going to do?"  
  
"How the hell should I know?" he snapped at her.  
  
"Well seeing as you two are buddy buddy, I thought you might know."  
  
"Even if I did, why do you think I'd tell you?"  
  
"Because you're just as scared as I am."  
  
"Shut up. They won't do anything to me, I'm a pureblood. My father is one of his best servants. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll let me be the one to kill you." he smirked.  
  
"Well last time I checked, Lucius Malfoy said he had no son." she shot back.  
  
Hermione entertained herself by thinking of every spell and charm she knew. Although she didn't have a wand, she felt it safer to have these things in the front of her mind, incase an opportunity to use them to escape arose. She watched Malfoy as he paced the room, sat back down on the bed, only to start pacing again moments later. She'd tried to speak to him a few more times, but he ignored her. Maybe he was doing the same thing she was doing? But she highly doubted that.  
  
"So she's still alive I see. Then I stand by my word. You have gone soft." Lucius Malfoy commented as he came to fetch them. They were blindfolded and sent to Voldemort, led by other deatheaters. For a moment, Hermione wished she'd made an alliance with Malfoy, athlough she wasn't sure if it would've been a possibility. When they were unblindfolded, they found themselves in a room which looked a lot like a courthouse. At least fifty other deatheaters were watching with hunger on their faces. She knew that she was what they were craving. Her stomach turned. She glanced over at Malfoy who was playing it safe by not showing any fear or anger. Now more than ever, she wished they were on the same side. He returned the glance and smirked a bit.  
  
"I am very dissapointed to see that you did not want to accept my offer, young Malfoy. And in turn you've hurt your father." Voldemort spoke. His voice sent a chill up Hermione's spine. Harry's faced him four times, she thought to herself.  
  
"Your offer, though very tempting, was just not something I was able to do under the watchful eye of Albus Dumbledore, my lord. This mudblood here, is one of his spies. With her and Harry Potter breathing down my neck every where I went, it was just not a possibility." he replied calmly, glaring at Hermione for a moment.  
  
"Lucius also tells me that you told Dumbledore about my offer. Why've you decieved me so?"  
  
"He would've found out sooner or later. As foolish as it was for me to step out of line and not inform you, I felt I had no way to. I planned on telling Dumbledore, gaining his trust, and using it against him, my lord. With him thinking that I was on his side, I could perform your deeds under the old man's nose. My father here, doesn't have patience."  
  
"That may be so, but he goes on to tell me that you refused to do what was needed in order to recieve the information I wanted. I understand your dislike for this filth, but you've betrayed me by disregarding my orders. Where does your loyalty lie, Draco Malfoy?" Voldemort raised his voice slightly.  
  
"With you, my lord. I ask for forgivness."  
  
"FORGIVENESS?! My forgiveness doesn't come easily. You may be young in years, but you're not young in mind. Many have betrayed me after serving me for years, fufilling my desires, yet still turning on me. I did not accept their appologies when I returned. What makes you think that I will accepted yous, when you couldn't even complete your first task?" Voldemort stood up and casted the Crucio curse on Malfoy. Hermione wanted to scream, but she couldn't find her voice. She was numb, she couldn't move.  
  
"You will complete your task tonight. Now take them to their chamber." Voldemort turned away from them. Hermione and Malfoy were blindfolded and sent back down into the dungeons of Azkaban.  
  
"What does he mean you're going to complete your task tonight?! Why didn't he address me? Tell me what's going on!" Hermione screamed at Malfoy. He just smiled at her, wickedly.  
  
"Tell me! He knows that I already know about the task. He should know that I'm not going to tell you anything, no matter how cunning you try to be!"  
  
"He let you know for a reason, Granger. What do you think he meant by it? I'm supposed to rape you and torture you, until you tell me everything you know about the order and their plans. Now we can do this the easy way and you can just tell me..or.." he moved close to her and kissed her passionatly.  
  
"Get off me, Malfoy!" she screamed. He kissed her again and found his way up her skirt. She couldn't get out of his grasp, and she couldn't fight him. He isn't acting out of his own free will. She thought. Lucius must be controlling him. He even said he'd never touch her. She had to find a way to free Malfoy from his father.  
  
"You don't like me, Draco. You even said you'd never touch me, I'm dirty blood. Your whole family will be shamed if you sleep with someone who isn't pureblood."  
  
"Tell me what you know about The Order." he demanded, and bit into her neck. It wasn't working. What if she played along with it? Maybe it'd confuse Lucius.  
  
Hermione kissed Malfoy back, wrapping her tongue around his. She ran her hands through his blond hair and moaned as he worked his hand up in her skirt. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed her more passionatly. She got off him and went over to one of the beds. She laid their robes over it and began unbuttoning her shirt. She really didn't want to do this, but the thought of being forced to or being subjected to violence made refusing out of the question. Maybe Malfoy wouldn't remember once his father stopped controlling him. What if he stopped controlling him while they were doing something? She couldn't bear that thought, knowing Malfoy's hatred of her, but she had to protect the order.  
  
Hermione pulled Malfoy over to her. She got onto the bed and he laid on top of her.  
  
"Who's in The Order of the Phoenix?" he asked. She refused to answer, and managed to get her hands down his pants. A look of pleasure came over his face. She kissed his lips softly. He bit into her bottom lip, but not like he had in the Transfiguration classroom. He didn't draw blood, and he was more gentle with her. She climbed on top of him, hoping to take control of the situation. He wouldn't have it. He forced her down onto her back. He finished unbuttoning her shirt for her and kissed down her chest. Soon their clothes laid in a pile on the dirty, damp floor. They laid in each others arms, as he continued to kiss her lips and neck. She'd never done anything like this, and wasn't quite sure what to do. This would be her first experience, and it pained her slightly to be experiencing it with her sworn enemy.  
  
"Have you done this before?" she asked him. He nodded as he kissed her.  
  
"Of course you have...you're the Slytherin God..." she muttered to herself. He positioned himself on top of her and entered her. She did her best to not show her fear or pain as she began to meet his strokes. It was definatly something she'd never experienced before. A pleasure that had yet to be discovered. She couldn't think straight, her mind was swirling with emotions and ecstasy. She dug her nails into his back as they climaxed together. As they lay there gasping for breath, their sweating bodies wrapped up in their school robes, she looked at Malfoy. She was looking at him differently now, with pity, instead of hatred. He looked back at her.  
  
"Would you please, just tell me about the order?" he asked, trying to catch his breath.  
  
"I can't, Draco. I'm sorry." she replied, softly.  
  
"I think he's waking up. Harry! Can you hear us? Harry!" and the light began to come back. 


	8. Confessions

"Harry! Can you hear us? Go get Madame Pomfrey, he's waking up!" Harry opened his eyes slowly. Everything was a blur. Ron put his glasses on and helped him sit up against the pillow. His head was killing him. Ron and Hermione were at his side. He breathed a sigh of relief. It'd just been a dream, clearly. Here was Hermione, right next to him. Safe and sound.  
  
"Oh we were so worried, Harry. You've been out for a week." she said and hugged him.  
"What happened?" he asked weakly. Ron and Hermione gave each other looks. They didn't want to say anything. Madame Pomfrey broke them away from him and began looking him over.  
  
"I can't count how many times I've had you since you've come to this school, Harry. You sure know how to find trouble. But the good news is you're okay, you'll be just fine." she stated and handed him a piece of chocolate.  
  
"I think it's best you two be off. He needs his rest. You can see him tomorrow, he'll be out by then."  
  
"I have to talk to Hermione." he bursted out.  
  
"You can talk to her tomorrow, right now you need rest." Madame Pomfrey handed him a glass of an unknown liquid and told him to drink, soon he found himself slipping back into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.  
  
"Hermione!" he yelled out. Hermione stopped at the enterance of Gryffindor Tower. She smiled and came running over to him.  
  
"Oh Harry!" she hugged him tight, he felt as if his bones were going to break.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"I have to go to Ancient Runes, I'm already running a bit late."  
  
"Please, it's important." she saw the urgency on his face, and nodded. They dropped her things off in her room then went outside to walk by the lake.  
  
"What happened? No one will tell me anything and everyone's looking at me oddly."  
  
"Voldemort was in the castle, Harry, with dementors. That's why your scar hurt and why you passed out. I didn't know what it was either until I got back."  
  
"Got back?"  
  
"Malfoy and I were kidnapped. We were in Azkaban. We only just got back two days ago. Dumbledore got us out. Harry, it was aweful."  
  
"I was with you, Hermione. I know what happened. I had a dream about it. I know about you and Malfoy." he admitted.  
  
"How much do you know?" she asked, then nodded towards the castle entrance. Malfoy was outside with Crabbe and Goyle picking on a first year Ravenclaw. Malfoy looked over at Harry and Hermione, but quickly broke the gaze.  
  
"You slept with him so he wouldn't kill you."  
  
"It wasn't him, Harry. It was his father. I've been doing research since I got back. I think it was the Imperius Curse. It was a such a mess. He attacked me once he realized what'd happened. After the first time, it kept happening. Draco's been fighting it though.  
  
"You're calling him by his first name? Hermione, he's a death eater. Why is he even still at the school?"  
  
"Like I said, it wasn't him. It was Lucius."  
  
"Is his father in control of him now? Is that why he's picking on first years. Hermione, you make it sound like he isn't accountable for any of his actions. Are you saying that he's actually a nice guy?"  
  
"No. He's not. He still hates you. He hates all of us. More so now, I think. But I've learned to understand some things about him. And he is helping Dumbledore, he's on our side despite things."  
  
"Does Ron know?"  
  
"Not all of it. I couldn't bear to tell him. I told him what he needed to know. He knows that we were forced to stay together for almost a week. And he knows how Draco lied to Voldemort to save us."  
  
"Good, he doesn't need to know the rest." Harry remarked. They started heading back over to the castle. Hermione went back up to her room to get ready for her next class. He started heading back to the common room, when he was stopped in the hallway by Malfoy.  
  
"So I suppose you know. Granger, has a bad habit of not being able to keep her mouth closed."  
  
"If you want to keep your face, Malfoy, I suggest you leave me alone."  
  
"I can't, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Talk."  
  
"In private." Malfoy led him to an empty classroom.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"You have a weird gift at being able to see whatever Voldemort does. Either that or you have some freak obsession of seeing whatever he does in refrence to me. Either way, I know you know what happened. Maybe you didn't see anything, maybe she just told you. But if you breath a word of it to anyone. Even Weasel, you won't live. Remember our pact of trust."  
  
"You broke that. You lied to us. You were working for him. Where's your mark? I'm sure he's branded you too!" Harry snapped. Annoyed, Malfoy lifted up the sleeve of his robe and shirt revealing the dark mark deep in his forarm.  
  
"It's useless now, I won't answer the calls. But that doesn't mean that I'm not your enemy, keep that in mind, Potter."  
  
"Do you just not want the rest of Slytherin to know you slept with someone who wasn't a pureblood? Are you ashamed and afraid to lose your reputation?"  
  
"It's more like the other way around, she was just another notch in the bed post, Potter. But for her reputation, she'll just be a slut. If you care about Hermione, keep your mouth shut." he turned to leave.  
  
"Malfoy! I have a question for you. How were you able to fight against the Imperius Curse? That wasn't your father who slept with Hermione, it was you. Yes, I saw."  
  
"Shut up, Potter. Keep to your own business." Malfoy stormed out of the room, yelling at and scaring the two first years he'd been taunting previously who happened to be walking by. Just as he turned to leave, he was punched hard in the nose.  
  
"Ron!" Harry called and ran over to him and Malfoy, who was nursing a bleeding nose.  
"That's for Hermione!" Ron yelled as Harry led him away. They went to the Griffyndor common room.  
  
"I heard you guys talking. I was heading over to see Hermione when I heard your voices. I didn't catch all of it, but I caught enough to know what you were talking about. I can't believe she didn't tell me."  
  
"She didn't want to hurt you, Ron. She knows how you feel about her. That was a brilliant punch though. I would've done it, but I'm not allowed to touch him."  
  
"It felt good."  
  
"Rough luck though, we have to see him next class in Care of Magical Creatures. Let's go."  
  
They headed over to Hagrid's hut. They had a free hour, so they decided to go to class early. They were greeted by Fang, who wagged his tail happily. They knocked on the door and heard Hagrid tell them to enter. He was baking again. Ron and Harry gave each other familiar looks. Hagrid wasn't known to be the greatest cook.  
  
"Harry! Its good ter see yeh about. How're feelin'?" Hagrid asked and gave him a big bear hug.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks. What are you baking?"  
  
"Oh I thought I'd 'ave a hand at biscuits again. Improved the recipe, yeh see. Yer welcome ter try them fer yerselves."  
  
"No thanks, we've already eaten." Harry smiled.  
  
"How's Hermione holdin up?"  
  
"She seems to be back to her normal self."  
  
"She still tutoring that good fer nothin, Malfoy?"  
  
"Yeah, every night." Ron replied. This took Harry by suprise. Surely, Dumbledore knew what happened. He wouldn't let them continue tutoring lessons after that.  
  
"Ought to just let 'im fail, if yer ask me." Hagrid and Ron continued their conversation, but Harry's mind had left the table. He could talk to Dumbledore tonight, he'd ask him about it then. As it got closer to start class, they went outside and took their seats. Hermione joined them and Ron glared at her.  
  
"How'd he find out?" she whispered to Harry. He explained to her about Malfoy's confrontation and then Ron punching him. Even she couldn't help but giggle when Malfoy showed up to class with a broken nose. He gave Ron the look of death and joined his group. After class, it was time for dinner. Everyone headed back to the castle. Malfoy passed them quickly, but Harry noticed them smiling at each other.  
  
"Why are you still tutoring him?"  
  
"He needs it."  
  
"No, he doesn't. He even admitted he was failing as a ploy."  
  
"Oh, it's not every class. It's just Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguartion. He's not failing, he just has low grades. He wants to get them up. He has the same problem with McGonagall as we have with Snape, apparently." she explained, smiling. Harry decided not to question it, knowing he wouldn't get a truthful answer and decided to spy again that night.  
  
He slipt out of the portrait hole after he was sure everyone had gone to bed. It was nine o'clock. He got to the transfiguration classroom and was relieved to find the door ajar. He slipped in. It was darker than usual, only the fireplace was lit. He heard Hermione giggle and found them in the corner of the classroom, kissing passionatly.  
  
"We need to get back to work." she giggled, then kissed him again.  
  
"Another notch in the bed post, huh?" Harry muttered to himself. He watched as Malfoy ran his hands along her body and whispered things in her ear. She wrapped her legs around him. It took Harry a moment to realize what they were doing, but when he did, he left to give them privacy. He had to talk to Dumbledore. He took off the invisbility cloak, and walked to corridors to the headmaster's office.  
  
"Pea soup." he stated. The gargoyle moved, opening up the spiraling staircase up to dumbledor's quarters. He hopped up the stairs and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in, Harry, Come in." he heard a voice.  
  
"I want to know what happened. I want to know everything. I was out for a week. I saw Hermione and Malfoy locked up in Azkaban. I saw their trial with Voldemort. I know what happened back in the chamber. Why is Hermione still tutoring Malfoy? Why are they seeing each other?"  
  
"Harry, we must deal with one question at a time. You saw what happened. You saw all you needed to see. The rest between that and the time that the order got them out of Azkaban, is business between only Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy. They're at an age of innocence, descovering new things and enjoying each other's company, learning about life. I suggested they continue with the tutoring, because young Malfoy needs the help, and they need to learn to heal from the trauma of their experience. There is no better company, than those who've been through the same ordeals. They understand each other now on a level that neither you or I could, as we were not there with them. Let them be."  
  
"Malfoy hates her. He's just using her. We can't trust him after what happened."  
  
"I know what happened at Azkaban, Harry. The things he told Voldemort were things we'd decided on before the incident occured. He was only following under my instructions. This is a dark age we're in, Harry. The best you can do is accept that he's trying to do the right thing, even if you two do not always see eye to eye. It's a part of growing up, muggle and wizard alike. Now you best be off to bed. As I hear you have a potions exam tomorrow, and Professor Snape won't take too kindly if you're nodding off every now and then. Goodnite, Harry."  
  
"Goodnite, Professor." Harry walked back to Gryffindor Tower. His feet felt like lead. He thought Dumbledore would understand his concern. He saw Hermione come up down the hallway, practically skipping.  
  
"Harry!" she called and ran over to him. He didn't want to talk to her so he didn't stop.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Why'd you lie to me? We've been friends for five and a half years."  
  
"I haven't lied to you, Harry." she said quietly.  
  
"Draco Malfoy doesn't hate you, Hermione. He loves you. I saw you two, I didn't understand why you were still tutoring him, but I get the picture now, it's just so you two can go and have your little sessions without the school questioning it."  
  
"You followed me? Did you not learn anything from your dream, Harry? I can take care of myself! Malfoy doesn't...love me." she hissed.  
  
"Oh so now you're back to a last name basis again."  
  
"Draco Malfoy doesn't love me. I don't love him. We're just..." she stopped. Harry wanted to say the word, it was at the tip of his tongue. But he couldn't bring himself to say it. He just looked at her, anger in his eyes. His feelings of betrayal and heartbreak were burning inside him.  
  
"We're just trying to make the best of it, Harry. I mean, he doesn't pick on you as much."  
  
"Of all the guys in the school, Hermione. You have to pick the one who thinks you're inferior to his pure...inbred blood. He will always be the way he is. Once he's tired of you, he'll find someone else. He'll never make you feel special or equal. He will never ever marry you. He told me that all you are to him is another notch in his bedpost. If he really wanted to be with you, Hermione, he'd go public. You've seen how he's been with the others before you. You're his dirty little secret."  
  
"You're so full of yourself, Harry Potter. Your fame has made you synical and unappreciative of the things around you. The only reason Ron and I are still around you, is because no one else would be. You're bad luck, and everyone around you suffers. The sorting hat may have put you in Gryffindor like your father, but you are Slytherin to the core. Grow up, Draco has." she snapped back. The words hit him like a ton of bricks, but he had a feeling that he'd made the same impact on her. She ran off past him, trying to hide her tears. 


	9. New Enemies, Old Ones Rekindled

Harry woke up the next morning, furius with what'd happened the previous night. At the same time, there was a pit in his stomach. He'd just severed his friendship with one of the people he cared for the most. And on top of it, she probably thought he was in love with her. He wouldn't do that to Ron...Ron. Had what Hermione said been true? They'd had their fights over the years, but he couldn't imagine them being his friend just because they felt sorry for him. He went up to the prefect rooms and knocked on Ron's door. It opened. Hermione walked past him out of the room, without even looking at him.  
  
"She's real upset with you, mate. What'd you say to her?"  
  
"The truth. She thinks Malfoy has changed. I walked in on them last night."  
  
"She says you were spying on her."  
  
"I wasn't spying. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."  
  
"She faced Voldemort and she lived with Malfoy for a week. I think she can survive anything."  
  
"So you're taking her side too?"  
  
"Well you had no business spying on her. We're not little anymore Harry, there's no need to go spying around in the corridors. These are our last years here, we should try and make the best of them, and we can't afford to lose anymore house points. Why not try having a peaceful year, this year Harry? Do we have to be heros?"  
  
"I can't believe you, Ron. You know I haven't had a choice in any of the things I've been through."  
  
"You didn't have to go snooping around to find out about the Sorcer's Stone. You didn't have to go snooping around to find the Chamber of Secrets. If we hadn't butted in with Sirius and Buckbeak, we'd have been living normal lives."  
  
"And what? You sister would be dead, we'd never know the truth about my parents and Sirius. Voldemort might've been back full force and unbeatable. We needed Sirius, and we had to save him. And I expect you're going to blame me for being in the Triwizard Tournament as well? And for Cedric's death? You're no better than the Dursley's right now, Ron. We did what we had to in order to save the school. You probably wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for me. I didn't choose to be 'the-boy-who-lived', Ron. I can't believe you're still holding this all against me. I was trying to protect Hermione from Malfoy. I thought you'd appreciate that too. She's still sleeping with him, Ron. Just so you know." Harry stormed out of the room. He now had no one.  
  
Harry entered the Great Hall. Ron had joined Hermione at the Gryffindor table and they were talking to Parvati Patil. He saw Luna Lovegood sitting by herself at the Ravenclaw table, and went over to her.  
  
"Mind if I join you for breakfast?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." she was a little taken back.  
  
"Thanks." he replied with relief and sat down next to her.  
  
"Why aren't you sitting with Ron and Hermione?" she asked, helping herself to a plate of food.  
  
"Because they don't know the true meaning of friendship." he commented, coldly. They didn't speak throughout the rest of the meal. As Harry was finishing, Malfoy came strolling by.  
  
"Found yourself a new girlfriend, did you Potter? What a perfect match. Looney Lovegood with 'the-boy-who-lived'. You two go great together. You can't drive each other crazy, cause you already are!" he smirked and walked off.  
  
"That Malfoy, he's such a horrible boy." Luna remarked. Harry didn't respond. He got up and went outside. Hermione was outside studying under a tree, absentmindedly casting bubbles out of her wand while Crookshanks chased them. He sat out by the lake and watched the giant squid come up every now and then. He heard a noise from near by. It sounded like Malfoy. He knew he shouldn't do anymore spying. He looked back over at Hermione, still under her tree. He moved a little bit closer and noticed Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson leaning up next to the side of the castle. He had his hand on her leg.  
  
"Why've you been avoiding me, Draco?" she whined.  
  
"I haven't been avoiding you, I've just been busy."  
  
"Yeah with that mudblood. Are you cheating on me?"  
  
"No, Pansy. I'd never cheat on you, not with that vile excuse for a witch." he stroked her face with his index finger. He kissed her passionatly.  
  
"How about I come by your room tonight? We haven't had a night to ourselves in over a week."  
  
"Sounds good to me, the password is 'snake bite'. I'll see you tonight at seven, love." he told her and kissed her again. Harry ducked behind a bush so he wouldn't be discovered. Harry took out a piece of parchment and a quill. He wrote down a note, pretending to be Malfoy. He told her to be at his room at seven ten, and wrote down the password. He went up to the owlery and sent her the note, then headed off for Divination, where he sat with Seamus Finnigan instead of Ron.  
  
Even though he promised himself, no more snooping. He had to see the outcome of the situation. He left the Great Hall early, and went up and got his invisibility cloak and the maurader's map. He snuck his way to the Slyerthin common room, able to sneak in with a few Slytherin third years. He watched as Malfoy came into the common room with Crabbe and Goyle. He said goodbye to them and headed to his room. Harry quietly followed, sneaking in right behind Malfoy. He sat down on one of the chairs in the boys' prefect room. He looked around the room. The green and silver glistened through the room. Hermione's thoughts crept back into his head "you're Slytherin to the core." She'd be eating her words once she saw her secret boyfriend secretly in bed with someone else. Harry hadn't thought about how childish he was acting, or of Dumbledore's words to just leave them alone. He was hurt. Maybe he did feel something more than friendship for Hermione, but all he wanted right now was revenge.  
  
Pansy Parkinson was right on time, and five minutes early. Malfoy smiled and pulled her close. He led her to the bedroom, where Harry didn't dare venture. What he saw the previous night had been bad enough. Hermione was also, right on time. How she managed to get past the other slytherins, he didn't know. He figured there was a secret prefect passway that allowed her to go between prefect rooms freely. The castle was filled with mysterious passages. She didn't see Malfoy around anywhere, so she headed towards the bedroom. She put her ear to the door, then covered her mouth with her hand. The sounds were unmistakable, and said it all.  
  
"Alohomora." she tapped the handle with her wand, it swung open.  
  
"Draco Malfoy!" she screamed.  
  
"What are you doing here, mudblood?! We don't have tutoring for another hour. Get the hell out of my room!" Malfoy yelled and slammed the door in her face. Hermione burst into tears and ran out of the room. Guilt hit Harry hard. What he'd done was wrong. She had to see though, he couldn't be changed. Harry let himself out and headed back towards Gryffindor. Half way there he removed the cloak. He still felt bad. As he passed by the Transfiguration room he heard crying. He knew it was Hermione. He wanted to go to her, but he felt too guilty. He went back up to his room and went to sleep. He dreamt of Ron being attacked by a giant spider, Malfoy and Hermione getting married, and his dreams once again turned back to Sirius. When he woke up in the morning he was feeling no more engergized than he had when he'd gone to sleep. He moped down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He heard voices outside the corridor to the Hall.  
  
"So I hear you have a taste for the snake, well I've got a snake you can try." He saw Franklin Fratz had Hermione pinned up against the wall.  
  
"Get off me." she hissed at him.  
  
"Now I see why Malfoy couldn't resist you, you've truly got the heart of a lion, Gryffindor." he kissed her hand, and moved in for her lips.  
  
"Leave her alone, Fratz." Harry pulled out his wand. Franklin smiled and walked away, he winked at Hermione.  
  
"Stop rescuing me, Harry." she commented and entered the Great Hall with great pace. He decided to eat alone. He wasn't in the mood for Luna's talk about her father's magazine.  
  
"I know it was you, Potter." Malfoy sat down across from Harry.  
  
"What was me, Malfoy." Harry sighed. He started to collect his things for class.  
  
"I don't know how, but I know you had to do with last night. Stay away from me, Potter. I am not someone you want to mess with. The previous five years are childsplay compared to what will be coming. Hermione doesn't like you anymore, frankly, I don't think she ever did."  
  
"You brought it upon yourself." Harry stated and walked away.  
  
Harry spent the rest of the term, alone. Ron was still refusing to speak to him, as was Hermione. It looked as if though things between her and Malfoy were over. There'd been no news of any other plans that Voldemort had. End of the term exams came and went, and all of Hogwarts was packing up for their Christmas vacation. It was the night of the Christmas feast, Harry was called into Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Harry! Merry Christmas!" Dumbledore exclaimed. He was wearing a red santa's hat and red robes. With his long beard, he resembled St. Nick, a great deal. Harry smiled.  
  
"You shall be returning to headquarters for the Christmas Break, I pressume?"  
  
"Yes. I have no where else to go, and I don't want to stay here this year."  
  
"Well then I have a task for you. Malfoy will be staying with you for the holidays. He has no home to return to, and I don't want him lurking the hallways, it's not safe when his own father is after his head. I don't want him knowing the location though, so I have to ask you to escort him."  
  
"Why can't Hermione do it?"  
  
"She said thank you but no thank you, professor Dumbledore, and left it at that I'm afraid."  
  
"It's my fault."  
  
"What is, Harry?"  
  
"What happened between them. I told her not to trust him, then gave her reason not to."  
  
'I'm afraid that Mr. Malfoy is the one who gave her a reason not to trust him, not you Harry. You were just trying to help her see the way he was, which so happened to be: not a very good boyfriend. She will forgive you in time."  
  
"Nothing gets by you, does it Professor."  
  
"Not anything that goes on within these wall, Harry." he smiled. Harry felt better after having talked with Dumbledore. He ran into Hermione in the hallway.  
  
"Hi." he said.  
  
"Hi, Harry. Look I'm sorry. You were right about Malfoy."  
  
"No, don't. Let's stop fighting? We're going to have to spend the entire break together, we might as well get along. Besides if Malfoy's going to be with us, we have to stay together." he told her. She hugged him.  
  
"Ron's forgiven you too, he's been wanting to say something, but he feels sheepish. And I have to admit, I've said some pretty harsh things to him."  
  
"What happened with Malfoy?"  
  
"Oh, he cheated on me. We broke up. Now we're back to name calling as usual."  
  
"It's nice to have you back, Hermione." Harry smiled and took her hand. They walked hand in hand together back to Gryffindor Tower. 


	10. The Unwelcome Houseguest

"Honestly, I don't see why I have to sit with you lot." Malfoy grumbled as the Hogwarts express set off to King's Cross. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were all crammed in the compartment with Malfoy, who was perplexed with having been dragged to sit with a group of Gryffindors. Ginny glared at him, giving him the evil eye.  
  
"Your sister's looking more and more unlike you, Weasel. She might actually have been considered hot, if it weren't for all the second hand clothing she has to wear." If Malfoy was going to be forced to sit with them, he was going to make the experience as miserable as possible for all of them.  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Ron snapped at him. Malfoy smirked. He looked over at Hermione who'd avoided making eye contact with him since they got on the train.  
  
"What's your problem, Granger? Usually you can't shut up." he poked her. She pushed him away. Harry glared at Malfoy. All of them were trying their best not to hex him or backlash. They didn't understand Dumbledore's urgency that he sit on the train with them, until Hermione explained that he could easily tell his friends exactly where he was going, and as since most of his friends had families which were death eaters. If they were going to find out he was staying at the headquarters of the Order, it was best to have them know after the break, rather than the chance of being attacked during. At least after Malfoy had left, they could put a whole new set of curses which kept prying eyes away.  
  
When they arrived at King's Cross, Moody and Lupin were waiting to gather their things. Mrs. Weasley came rushing over to them and gave them all big hugs, except for Malfoy of course.  
  
"Draco, it's good to have you with us. I know this Christmas break won't be as fancy and lavish as the ones your used to, but at least you have company." she told him, cordially.  
  
"Uh, thanks." he remarked. Mad-Eye came up to him and looked him over.  
  
"I don't like the cut of his jib. There's something not right about this one. Malfoy, is it?"  
"Yes, professor." Malfoy replied quickly. Harry smiled and laughed to himself. Obviously, Malfoy was still afraid of Moody, after the incident fourth year.  
  
"Psh. Professor. I've never been no professor." Mad-Eye continued to look over him.  
  
"There was an incident in fourth year, your double turned Malfoy into a ferret and bounced him around off the walls." Hermione giggled. Malfoy shot her a look of distaste.  
  
"I'll bet he had a good reason too. I'll be keeping an eye on you, son." Moody warned him and went to help Lupin with the luggage.  
  
"I'm sorry to do this Draco, but I need you to drink this potion." Mrs. Weasley stated handing him a small vile.  
  
"What is it?" he asked, cringing his nose at the smell of it.  
  
"It's just a sleeping draught. It's for our our precautions. You'll wake up in a couple of hours just fine."  
  
"And if I refuse?"  
  
"Then you'll be left here on King's Cross, ya will." Moody snapped.  
  
"Just drink it, it's for your own saftey as well, Draco." Lupin told him, throwing the last of the luggage on a trolly. Malfoy looked at everyone standing around, and grudgingly drank the liquid. He fell against Lupin, asleep.  
  
"Now, Harry. May I see your invisibilty cloak?" Lupin asked him. Harry pulled it out of one of his cases. Lupin threw it over Malfoy and proceeded to levitate him. They all walked together back to Grimmaulds Place.  
  
"He's waking up!" Ginny yelled, rushing down the stairs. Harry and Ron's game of Exploding Snap crashed to the floor.  
  
"He looks so much like his father." Mrs. Weasley commented, as she cooked dinner.  
  
"Now, don't get me wrong. Dumbledore is wise, but this has to be the most foolish thing he's done. That boy can't be trusted." Moody remarked.  
  
"If you're going to talk about me, at least wait until I'm in the room. I don't take kindly to be talking behind my back." Malfoy said, as he came down the stairs.  
  
"And we don't take kindly to death eater's boy. Your father is one of the foulest I've met in my day. If you want any hope at a decent break, you'd do best not to talk that way to your elders. Come with me." Moody told him. He took Malfoy by the arm and dragged him into the den. Harry and Ron followed behind, peering through the doorway.  
  
"Do you know what this is?" Moody asked him, pointing to a mirror that hung on the wall. Dark shadows of people were moving through the mirror, except one, who's eyes shon a bright white. Malfoy quickly turned around to face the people in the mirror, but there was no else in the room.  
  
"It's a Foe-Glass, Malfoy. It detects dark beings. When there is a death eater or a dark wizard about, then you can see the whites of their eyes. Do you know why they're glowing now?" Moody asked him. Malfoy shook his head.  
  
"Because you're here! He's marked you, has he?" Moody questioned. Malfoy rolled up his sleeve to show his tattoo. Moody just nodded.  
  
"You'll have to pardon Alastor. It's just, with your father's reputation, he expects nothing short of that from you. I'll have to ask that you don't go snooping about. You may be on our side, but you're not a part of the order, and there are some things you especially don't need to know until we're sure you can be trusted, Draco." Lupin stepped in. Malfoy rolled his eyes and scoffed.  
  
"Molly's finished cooking, so I suggest you come and join us for dinner."  
  
"Brilliant. Stuck with the Weasley's all holiday." Malfoy muttered under his breath and left the room, knocking into Harry. He scowled at him and took his place at the table. There was a knock on the door. Mrs. Weasley got up and answered it. It was Tonks followed by Fred and George.  
  
"Oh, boys! You've come home for the holiday! It's great to have you here, we've just sat down to supper." She hugged the twins and closed the door behind them.  
  
"What's Ferret boy doing here?" Fred asked, taking off his jacket.  
  
"He had no where to go for Christmas, and Dumbledore didn't want him wandering about the school grounds, it's too dangerous."  
  
"Well this'll be a most interesting holiday." George smiled.  
  
"Now you two stay out of trouble." Mrs. Weasley warned.  
  
After dinner, Malfoy went to his room, along with Ginny. They called together the people that were there to talk about the risks they were taking with Malfoy in the house. Moody was the first to speak out.  
  
"My Foe-Glass uncovered his identity as a death eater. He's been marked. We can't keep him here."  
  
"It's Dumbledore's orders. Lucius is after him. It's the only place he's safe." Tonks reminded them.  
  
"What've we heard about Voldemort?" Harry asked. He didn't want Malfoy to get all the attention.  
  
"He's disappeared again and he hasn't called on Severus in awhile. He's biding his time before the big attack. His army is ready, but he wants to take care of you first, Harry." Lupin answered.  
  
"Let's just hand Malfoy over to him, that'll be one less thing for us to deal with." Ron muttered.  
  
"It's Dumbledore's duty to protect his students. While Malfoy is still at Hogwarts, he has to protect him." Hermione told him.  
  
"You hiding on the staircase, back to your room!" Moody yelled out. Harry turned to see Malfoy and Ginny running back up the stairs and heard a door slam.  
  
"We can't talk about this while he's in the house." Mrs. Weasley said, standing up.  
  
"I need to know what's going on!" Harry demanded.  
  
"You will in time. The more we find out, the more Dumbledore can tell you." Lupin assured him. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were sent upstairs. Malfoy was sitting on Harry's bed.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" Ron questioned.  
  
"I'm bunking with you two. The twins took my room, and that God awful chicken is in the only other bed room available. I'm NOT sleeping with that thing." Harry stuffled a laugh, then started unpacking his belongings.  
  
"Well there's only two beds." Ron commented.  
  
"Then I guess one of you will be sleeping on the floor. I'm not here on my own free will, so I get a bed. And you need one Weasley, cause I'm sure you don't get comfort like this place back at your parent's home."  
  
"Shut up. And that's Harry's bed. You being here wasn't our choice either, we just have to put up with you."  
  
"I suppose I could go share a bed with Granger, it wouldn't be a new thing." he smirked.  
  
"As if she'd ever make that mistake again." Harry stated, while putting his clothes in the wardrobe.  
  
Malfoy wouldn't budge, so Harry surrendered his bed then went down the hall to sleep in the upstair's study. He tossed and turned, but couldn't manage to fall asleep. He looked at the clock, it was just past one in the morning. He turned over once more onto his side, and stared into the black void of darkness. Having Malfoy there made him uncomfortable. He felt the need to stay watch in case anything happened, so was subconciously unable to sleep. He heard a noise from outside the room, and sat up. The door opened and a light from behind it shone through, casting a dull shadow across the objects in the room.  
  
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"  
  
"It took my awhile, but I realized where we were. We're in the old Black house. I've been here before... this must've been where that murderer had been hiding out all along from the dementors."  
  
"He was cleared of the charges."  
  
"Pity he didn't live long enough to enjoy his freedom though, eh Potter?"  
  
"Go back to bed."  
  
"You can't tell me what to do. I have more right to be wandering these rooms than you do, my Grandmother's sister lived here."  
  
"And she was just as vile as your family. They've cleaned this house out, you have no rights here. If anything, it belongs to Tonk's now... your cousin. Now go back to bed before I go and get Moody."  
  
"You think that git scares me?" Malfor snarled. The door creaked open. Both boys quickly turned to see who heard them. It was Hermione.  
  
"Would you two just go to sleep? Ginny and I can hear you through the wall. You're going to wake the whole house." she told them, sleepily.  
  
"I can't sleep with Weasley snoring." Malfoy snapped at her.  
  
"You could always go sleep with Buckbeak." Harry mentioned.  
  
"Shut up. Besides I don't trust you, Potter."  
  
"The feeling's mutual. I can't sleep with him wandering the hallways, sneaking about."  
  
"Well if you're going to be stubborn, then do it quietly. Have either of you seen Kreacher about?"  
  
"No, I thought they got rid of him." Harry replied.  
  
"No, he was lurking around Ginny and I's room earlier. He was muttering something about how his master's returned or something. I don't know, I can't remember." she yawned.  
  
"What's Kreacher?" Malfoy asked, nervously.  
  
"He's the Black's old house elf."  
  
"You'd like him. He'll probably be your only friend here by the end of the Holiday." Harry remarked. Malfoy turned his wand on Harry.  
  
"You keep making smart ass remarks at me, Potter and I'll-"  
  
"And you'll what, Draco? Please, the twin's are just waiting for an excuse to hog tie you and try out their new line of products." She said, cooly.  
  
"Keep out of it, you know what I'm capable of."  
  
"She's right you know, no one here is comfortable with you. It's ten to one. You can't try anything." Harry defended. Hermione was looking at Malfoy with a complete look of distaste. Defeated, he returned the look, then left the room and went back to bed.  
  
"I have to come clean, Hermione." Harry said, lowering his wand.  
  
"About what? Can it wait until morning? I'm beat."  
  
"I'm the one who wrote you the note to meet Malfoy in his room. I heard him talking to Pansy and setting up the date. I wanted you to know the truth about him."  
  
"I know, Harry. I've been friends with you for nearly six years. I recognized your handwriting right away."  
  
"Then why'd you go?"  
  
"Because I had to see what it was all about. I had a suspicion he was still with Pansy, and I figured that was what it was about. It's okay. Now if you don't mind, I'd really like to get some sleep." She left the den, leaving Harry once again to toss and turn through out the rest of the night. 


	11. The Attic

Christmas morning, Harry woke up tired, but more at ease with himself after telling Hermione the truth. Then he realized he was in his bed. Ron was sitting on his own, reading a new book about Quiddich that he'd gotten for Christmas.  
  
"About time you woke up. Lupin found you asleep on the couch and brought you up here. You have presents, they're downstairs." Ron told him, munching on a chocolate frog.  
  
"Where's Malfoy?"  
  
"Who knows, haven't seen him all morning. Probably lurking somewhere feeling sorry for himself cause he didn't get any presents. Bet he's used to getting loads from his parents. This book is great, it has all the greatest moves from the Quiddich World Cups in the past age. We could really use this when we get back to Hogwarts." Ron continued on, but Harry had wandered downstairs.  
  
"Oh, Harry! You're up! Good! These arrived for you this morning." Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. On the kitchen table were five boxes and a parcel. One he recognized immediatly to be a sweater that Mrs. Weasley had knitted for him. Like every year. He opened up a large one wrapped in blue paper. It was a large orb, that reminded Harry of the ones that they used in their Divination class.  
  
"That one's from Moody, he says you'll be able to see the truth in people through it when you ask it. It's called a Vera-Orb." Lupin explained. Harry looked around, wanting to thank Mad-eye, but he was no where in site.  
  
"Oh he's gone out. He's on a task from Dumbledore." Mrs. Weasley stated, putting a pie in the oven. Harry pulled a card off another large box, this one wrapped in green paper. It read:  
  
You seem like you could use one.  
  
Harry opened the package. Inside it was a Pensieve. He knew at once that it was from Dumbledore. He smiled. He couldn't wait to thank him. He was in need of this more than anything. He set it aside and opened a smaller box, inside it was candy. It was labeled from Fred and George. These must be some of their latest pranks, he thought to himself and set them aside. Ron had given him a copy of the same book he had. He opened up a small parcel wrapped in dragon skin. It was a picture frame containing a picture of his parents with Sirius.  
  
"We found that amongst his belongings. He would've wanted you to have it Harry." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly, patting down his hair. He wanted to cry, but he held it in. They seemed so happy in the picture. The three of them were smiling and waving at him. Then Sirius pulled James close in a rough hug. Lily laughed at them.  
  
"Thank you. I love it." he smiled. Hermione came into the room.  
  
"I thought I heard your voice! Merry Christmas!" she handed him a small black velvet bag. Inside it, was a necklace made of different types of black stones that looked similar to pieces of shell.  
  
"It's from the black beaches in Hawaii. The stones are created when lava flows directly into the ocean. The lava cools rapidly when it hits the cool water turning into glass. I got it when my family and I went at the beginning of the summer." she explained.  
  
"Thank you, 'Mione. It's beautiful." he replied and hugged her.  
  
"Where's Malfoy?" she asked him.  
  
"I don't know. I was wondering the same thing. You don't think he left do you?"  
  
"No, he can't leave. I saw him awhile ago, talking to Kreacher. I finally found him this morning, lurking around the attic. Dumbledore wanted to offer him a job with Dobby and Winky, but he doesn't want it. He hates Dumbledore because he likes muggles. I was trying to convince him he'd get pay and time off, but he had the same reaction as Winky. I wish they'd just understand."  
  
"Give it up, Hermione. It wouldn't be a good idea anyway, he helped Voldemort."  
  
"I know, but Dobby would've looked out for him. I'm going to find Malfoy, lunch is almost ready." Harry followed her upstairs. They checked the bedrooms, but he's wasn't in any of them.  
  
"Maybe he went up to the attic?" Harry suggested. Hermione nodded and jumped up to grab the rope that pulled down the ladder to the attic. Harry followed after her. Malfoy was looking out the attic window holding a picture.  
  
"Lunch is almost ready." Hermione said timidly.  
  
"I don't care, go away." Malfoy muttered, not looking in her direction.  
  
"Harry, go." she said quietly.  
  
"Why do I have to leave?"  
  
"Please, just go. We'll be down in a minute." she pushed him slightly back towards the ladder. He crawled down, but remained at the foot of the steps to listen. Hermione crossed over to Malfoy.  
  
"I know you don't want to be here, but you could at least make the effort to show you're not all bad."  
  
"What do you care, mudblood." he snapped. Harry couldn't hear anymore, so he climbed a couple more steps and peered into the attic. Hermione was sitting in Malfoy's lap, kissing him passionatly. They stopped kissing and looked at each other.  
  
"You know I'm with Pansy." he stated.  
  
"I don't care, Draco. You're only with her for your reputation. I mean you can't honestly tell me you like that pug-faced brat." she laughed. Malfoy pushed her off him.  
  
"Shut up, Granger. Get over it, I don't want to be with you." he sneered. She picked up the picture he'd been holding. It'd fallen when he pushed her off. It was a picture of his parents he'd found while rummaging through the boxes in the attic.  
  
"You're not like them. Stop trying to be. They hate you now. You're not all that different from Sirius when it comes down to it, you should give Harry a break. You don't have to like each other, but just get along for The Order's sake. You're not proving yourself very well. No one trusts you, and you're making this worse on yourself than you have to. I don't feel sorry for you at all. You can stay up here and mope the rest of the holiday, or you can make the effort to get along with everyone. Instead of being a thorn in people's sides, you might actually be useful." she lectured. He stood up. He reached out to hit her, but stopped himself.  
  
"You're so infuriating! You think you know EVERYTHING. You don't! You don't know my family. You don't know what you're up against. Maybe I am regretting my decision to help your little clubhouse. Suddenly, Avada Kedavra isn't seeming so bad. There is no curse worse than you, Granger!" he yelled at her. He lunged toward her but instead of hitting her, he pulled her close and kissed her feverishly. He pushed her into the wall, biting down her neck.  
  
"Ow, Draco. Stop!" she tried to push him off but couldn't. She wrapped her legs around him.  
  
"Get off of her!" Harry yelled from the staircase. He had his wand pointed at Malfoy.  
  
"Get out!" they both yelled at him. He rolled his eyes at them and went back down the attic stairs. Ron was coming out of their bedroom.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Hermione's trying to convince Malfoy to come down to lunch... but he's decided he wanted something else for lunch. Let's go."  
  
"You're just going to leave them up there, Harry?"  
  
"What else can we do?"  
  
"Bloody go and get her. That's what I'm doing." Ron replied and rushed up the steps. Harry followed. Malfoy was laying on top of Hermione on the floor, between her legs. Their fingers entertwined, and still fully dressed. Ron went over to Malfoy and tried to hit him. Malfoy pulled out his wand. Harry raised his again.  
  
"Get off her!" Ron yelled.  
  
"Oh please, Weasley. You're just jealous. We all know you've fancied her since first year. She doesn't want you. Thought you would've picked up on the signals by now." Malfoy retaliated as he stood up.  
  
"You could have any girl you want. Why do you have to go after our Hermione?"  
  
"Because you want her." he smirked. Hermione hit him.  
  
"Ow! What?!" Malfoy turned his anger towards her.  
  
"You're going after me, because you can't resist me. You want the one person you can't have." she replied.  
  
"I can't have? Excuse me? I've had you. You're nothing to me. You're no different than any of the others." he snarled. Hermione slapped him hard across the fast.  
  
"You're the worst liar. You're in love with her, but you won't accept it because it'll hurt your pride and go against everything you were raised to believe about muggle-born." Harry commented.  
  
"You call her mudblood all the time to try and convince yourself otherwise, when in fact you aren't even worth the dirt she walks on, and I think you know that." he continued.  
  
"Harry, stop." Hermione pleaded.  
  
"No, Potter. I think it's the otherway around. You keep trying to convince yourself that you care about her as just a friend. The both of you are pathetic." Malfoy moved in closer, his wand in hand. They heard Mrs. Weasley calling from downstairs. Lunch was ready.  
  
"We're not finished with this." he pushed past Harry and Ron, and proceeded down the stairs. 


	12. The Vera Orb

After lunch, Harry and Ron went straight to their room. Ron plopped down on his bed, and opened his book again. He hadn't spoken through the whole meal. None of them had. Malfoy amused himself by kicking Harry in the shins when Mrs. Weasley wasn't looking or paying attention. Harry rubbed his legs, then sat down on his bed. He unpacked his presents, and set the picture of Sirius with his parents on the nightstand next to the bed. He sighed. He put the Pensieve under the bed to hide it from curious eyes, then pulled out the Vera-Orb. Ron put down his book.  
  
"Woah, what is that? Is that like the ones we use in Divination?" Ron asked, coming over and sitting down across from Harry on the bed.  
  
"No, it's from Moody. It's supposed to show you the truth about people."  
  
"Let's try it out! Let's see what's going on with Malfoy!" Ron said eagerly. Harry looked into the orb like they did in class. There was nothing. He pictured Malfoy in his head, but again there was nothing.  
  
"I'm not quite sure how to work it. Show me the truth about Draco Malfoy." he commanded. The orb sat, the white smoke inside moving around softly. Yet still it showed nothing. Ron looked disappointed.  
  
"Rotten luck. It must be broken."  
  
"Draco Malfoy." Harry repeated, a bit clearer.  
  
"What?" a drawled voice asked from the doorway. Malfoy had joined them. He sat on Ron's bed.  
  
"Nothing." Ron replied with a tone, in his voice, of annoyance. Harry tried to hide the orb under the blanket. Malfoy noticed it immediatly and stood up.  
  
"What've you got there, Potter?" he asked and moved in for a closer look. Harry and Ron both blocked it. Malfoy pushed his way past them and picked up the orb.  
  
"What is it?" he turned it around in his hands, watching the smoke.  
  
"It's a seeing orb. Of course you wouldn't know, you're not in Divinations. Although, I don't blame you, it's a stupid class." Hermione answered, a-matter-of-factly from the doorway. She took it from Malfoy and looked it over.  
  
"Exactly." Harry confirmed. He took the orb back quickly from Hermione. The last thing he wanted was one of them to discover how to use it before he did. He put it back into it's box.  
  
"Has Trelawney actually required you to get your own?" She huffed.  
  
"No, it's from Mad-Eye Moody. It was a Christmas present."  
  
"Moody? Let me see it again." she said, curiously.  
  
"No." he flat out told her.  
  
"No? Harry, you're not still mad about earlier, are you?" she wore a hurt expression on her face.  
  
"No, it's just until I have the chance to ask him about it, I don't think we should be messing with it."  
  
"God, you're so dull." Malfoy left the room.  
  
"Better go catch up with your boyfriend." Ron stammered and turned away from Hermione.  
  
"Ugh! You two need to grow up." she stormed out of the room. Harry pulled out the Vera-Orb again.  
  
"That was a close one." he stated. They continued to look at it, trying to unlock the mystery to using it.  
  
"Maybe if you hold on to it and think about him." Ron suggested. He tried with no prevail. Giving up, Harry put it away. Mrs. Weasley called from the stairs, Ron got up to see what she wanted. He came back in.  
  
"She wants me to help clean up the house. The twins accidentally caught the draperies in the den on fire. Come and get me if you figure it out." and he left the room.  
  
Harry had gotten tired of the orb. He was alone now and wanted to use his pensieve. He got up and locked the door, then pulled it out from under his bed where he'd also stored the Vera-Orb. He also pulled out his wand. He looked into the Pensieve which was completly empty. Had he not seen Dumbledore's two years earlier, he would've thought it to be an ordinary bowl, just worn with age. He tried to remember how Dumbledore had put thoughts into it. He touched the tip of his wand to his forehead and thought about a memory. He thought about the first time he'd ridden a broom and the victory he had over Malfoy when he retrieved the Remembrall. He felt a tug to his head and his brain began to swirl the thought replayed itself backwards in his head. He began to get dizzy. The room felt as if it were spinning. He felt something pulling at his top of his spine and out through his forehead. No sooner than it had started, it stopped. A silvery whisp hung from his wand. He placed it in the bowl. He smiled. He may not be able to figure the Vera-Orb out, but he had the Pensieve down.  
  
Harry didn't know how long he sat there putting thoughts into the large bowl. By the time it started to get dark outside, the bowl was swirling with thoughts. He heard the doorhandle shake and quickly hid it under his bed. He unlocked the door to let Ron into the room. He was covered in soot, which was smudged on his face. He cleaned off and changed clothes.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked.  
  
"Malfoy. He purposfully knocked a whole bucket of soot and ash onto me that was on top of a table. Fred and I were cleaning under the table when he came over and knocked it onto my head before wandering off again. At least we won't have to deal with him much longer. God, what if he has to stay with us during the summer? Do you think they'll let us stay at Hogwarts in his place?" Ron collapsed onto the bed, tired and exhausted. Harry showed Ron his Pensieve, who was completly amazed by it. He swirled through the thoughts and brought up the memory of Moody bouncing Malfoy, in ferret form, off the school walls. They were doubled over laughing, when Hermione came in to tell them dinner was ready.  
  
"Hermione, you have to see this. It's a perfect picture!" Ron gasped, holding his side which hurt from laughing so hard. Harry replayed the memory for her.  
  
"Honestly, Harry. I don't know why you'd want to hold on to that, it was just cruel." she commented.  
  
"You were laughing hardest of all!" Ron protested. She scoffed and left the room. Harry put it back under his bed and they followed her down to supper. Ron and Harry kept poking one another when the other tried to hide a laugh. Malfoy kept looking up at them annoyed, figuring they were keeping secrets.  
  
"What's so funny?" he scowled quietly to them, avoiding Mrs. Weasley and Lupin's ears.  
  
"We were going through memories of the past few years, and we were reminded again, of you being a ferret." Ron smirked, imitating Malfoy.  
  
"Yeah, it was brilliant. That's something we'll remember to tell our children about. I'm sure it'll be all the rage when the next generation of students come through." Harry added.  
  
"Hey did you hear about that Malfoy kid who was turned into a Ferret, twenty years ago?" Harry asked Ron, imitating a first year.  
  
"Why yes, I read all about it in iHogwarts, A History/i!" Ron played along, acting like Hermione had her first year. Hermione shot them a look so evil, they both stopped immediatly and went back to eating, muffling their laughs between bites. Malfoy kicked Harry hard in the shins.  
  
They ate until they couldn't fit anymore in their stomach, then headed off to bed. Malfoy had left the table early, discusted by the food and in a foul mood about being ganged up on at the dinner table. Harry and Ron slowly climbed the stairs, tiredness taking over them quickly. As they turned into the hall, they noticed a bright light shining from under their door. They rushed inside to find Malfoy hovering over the Pensieve, which he'd pulled out from under his bed. His eyes were wide as he'd watched Cedric being killed by Peter Pettigrew and the ritual that was performed giving Voldemort new life. He then watched as Harry dueled against Voldemort, hearing his own father's voice in the crowd of Death Eaters. Harry and Ron quickly pulled him away. He was a bit shooken up and sat back against the wall, as if unable to hold himself up.  
  
"You know there is a muggle saying that goes: 'Curiousity killed the cat.' Well now you know what happened." Harry replied, he kept back his anger. How dare Malfoy peer into his memories and thoughts! Then he remembered when he'd done the same to Dumbledore. It had been curiousity, something that really couldn't have been helped. Ron poked at Malfoy, who didn't move.  
  
"My father told me it'd been you who'd killed Diggory." he muttered, finally.  
  
"Yeah, well your father will do anything to make Voldemort look innocent, now wouldn't he?" Harry sat down next to him. His archnemesis had now just experienced with Harry, the most horrifying memory he had. Neither of them spoke.  
  
"You're foolish, you know." Malfoy told him.  
  
"I'm foolish?"  
  
"You don't get it do you? There is nothing you can do to stop Voldemort from taking over You bairly survived, and he's stronger now than he was then. Getting rid of you will be the easy now, then Dumbledore and all his pathetic followers will suffer his wrath." Malfoy smirked. He still looked weak from what he saw, but he was returning.  
  
"So your father just happened to forget to mention to you, the most important part of Voldemort's first plan, did he?" Harry replied, cooly.  
  
"And what might that be?"  
  
"He was after the prophecy which would give him unbeatable strength. The weapon, that I'm sure your father was talking about constantly through out your own lifetime."  
  
"He mentioned the weapon, but not what it was."  
  
"I don't think even Voldemort knew entirely, himself. But the prophecy told of a boy who was born in July to parents who'd defied him three times. He had the choice between me and Neville Longbottom. He made the mistake and chose me. His fate is bound to my own, Malfoy. He marked me as an equal. Voldemort will be deafeated. He no longer has the ministry on his side. This war is just his own feeble attempt to fill that void of self worth he's had ever since his own family left him. He's pathetic, and anyone who choses to follow him is even more pathetic. So I'd watch your tongue, and choose your words carefully, if you're so worried about your own reputation in the end." Harry warned him. Malfoy had seen what Harry was capable of for the first time, and for the first time he actually looked scared of him. He got to his feet and practically ran out of the room.  
  
"The only reason he's on our side is to save himself. He doesn't care about anyone else but himself." Harry said through gritted teeth. He got up and slammed the door shut.  
  
"We really ought to give that Vera-Orb another try." Ron stated. Harry nodded and pulled it out from under the bed. He was so full of anger he felt he was about to burst. He'd never hated anyone as much as he despised Draco Malfoy, and he was getting extremly tired of having him about, when they couldn't tell which side he was on. As Harry thought about this, the vaperous smoke in the orb began to clear and a bright light started to shine.  
  
"Woah." Ron backed away from it. Harry continued to focus on the orb and the thoughts in his head. Malfoy appeared with Crabbe and Goyle, they were in a forest clearing. Standing with them was Lucius Malfoy. Harry moved closer to get a better look. He watched as Voldemort burned the Dark Mark into each of their arms and had them repeat something in Latin that Harry couldn't make out, suddenly he felt as if he was being pulled in. Everything around him rushed fast, he closed his eyes. He heard voices talking all at once. The latin that'd been muttered vanished and he heard Malfoy talking with Lucius.  
  
"This isn't right! This is sick!" he heard Draco yell.  
  
"You will do as you're told! Your life isn't your own anymore! You're a servent of the Master! You discust me, you piece of muggle loving filth. So this is what being under Dumbledore's care has taught you! You discusts me! You'll do as your told or I'll see to your death myself! Do I make my self clear, Draco?!" the voice faded into the whispers of the conversations that filled Harry's head. He heard everything that'd been spoken in his dream of Hermione's capture. He heard them making love and her scream of passion. He heard the conversation Malfoy had had with Dumbledore on their return. He heard the fear in Draco's voice.  
  
"My father is going to kill me, and you're telling me to continue with plan?! I can't do this! I won't do this! It'll be you who dies first, Albus Dumbledore! I'll make sure of it!" Harry felt sick to his stomach, he tried to open his eyes but everything was moving too fast. He heard Hermione again, trying to calm Malfoy down during a tutor session, explaining to him how it was okay for people to change. It was a part of growing up and finding out who you were, not what your parents wanted you to be. Professor Snape's voice suddenly boomed.  
  
"I've been in your situation, Draco. You made the right decision, don't turn back on it. You're already a traitor in Voldemort's eyes. You have no choice but to remain with us. As long as I'm around, I'll make sure you're well protected." it faded. The rest of the voices continued to talk louder. Harry couldn't hear over them, there were screams, cries, and shouts. Harry wanted to yell out himself, but he couldn't. He couldn't move, only listen. Things started to slow down and the voices calmed themselves back into whispers. Soon the only voice he heard was Hermione's.  
  
"You're not like them. Stop trying to be."  
  
Harry opened his eyes. He was back in the room. Ron sat across from him, a look of fear on his face. Harry looked down at the Vera-Orb. It was back to it's orginal form. The light was gone and the white smoke swirled around inside, calming down. He quickly threw it back into it's box and shoved it under his bed.  
  
"Harry, are you okay?" Ron squeaked.  
  
"Yeah, did you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what? Harry, you were in some sort of trance. I couldn't get you out of it. You went pale and stiff. I was about to go get Lupin when you snapped out of it. What happened?"  
  
"He's on our side, Ron. Hermione was right." 


	13. Returning to Hogwarts

Harry rushed down stairs as quickly as he could, almost tripping over the steps. Lupin and Mrs. Weasley jumped up from their seats at the kitchen table and went over to him. He stopped for a minute to catch his breath.  
  
"Malfoy! He's... on our... side!" he said, between breaths.  
  
"Yes, dear. We know that. Are you all right, you're looking a bit pale Harry. Come have a seat." Mrs. Weasley patted him on the back. Lupin looked up at the stair landing, Ron was close behind Harry.  
  
"I saw it in the Vera-Orb. We can trust him." Harry added.  
  
"What'd you see?" Lupin asked, as they lead him over to the kitchen table. Mrs. Weasley hovered a glass of water over to him. He drank it, feeling as if he hadn't drank anything in days.  
  
"Well, I didn't actually see anything, I heard everything he's been going through since the summer. Crabbe and Goyle, they're spies for Voldemort." he told them as he finally started to return to a normal breathing rate and skin color.  
  
"I should've expected it. Their fathers were Lucius' right hand men." Lupin stated, leaning back in his chair. Mrs. Weasley handed Harry a damp cloth for his head.  
  
"Giving a teenager a Vera-Orb, what was Alastor thinking. I knew you were far too young for it's power." she muttered. Hermione and Malfoy came down, hurriedly. Ron looked at her, she seemed a bit flustered. They both did. He scowled at Malfoy, who winked at him. Harry looked at Malfoy. He wanted to appologize, but he couldn't. Not to Malfoy. He understood him now, but he wasn't like Hermione, he couldn't forget the past five years, when even to that day Malfoy was trying to make his life miserable. He just continued to stare.  
  
"Take a picture, Potter. It'll last longer." Malfoy sat down next to Hermione at the table, across from Harry.  
  
"What's going on?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well it seems that Harry has learned to work the Vera-Orb. I'm quite astounded, it takes a powerful mind to be able to control it and actually use it." Lupin replied. Malfoy rolled his eyes. "So it wasn't an ordinary seeing orb. What does it do?" she questioned.  
  
"Well it allows the beholder to see into the soul of the person in question to find out their true intentions. You have to be sure that it's what you want to know, your whole heart has to be in it. In this case, Harry heard Malfoy. Usually you see what's going on, but in Harry's case he heard all he needed to hear. As you get older, you'll be able to use it more effeciently."  
  
"Wait, he saw me? What's so deep in your heart about me, Potter?" Malfoy asked, confused.  
"I caught him looking into my Pensieve. He saw my battle with Voldemort from fourth year, and Cedric's death. Then he went on to tell me that we didn't have a chance against him, speaking as if he was still one of them. Ron and I decided we'd try and use the Orb again. My feelings of hatred seemed to overwhelm me. I had to know who's side he was on. He was risking my friends and family." Harry directed at Lupin. He turned his attention to Malfoy and continued.  
  
"I saw you, Crabbe, and Goyle recieving your marks. You never said anything about the other two! You knew they were on Voldemort's side, and you said nothing!"  
  
"It wasn't my place to." Malfoy snapped back.  
  
"Then I heard you arguing with your father. He threatened to kill you. Then I heard you attack Hermione while you were held captive. You hurt her!"  
  
"Shut up. That wasn't my fault! If you'd listened to anything that Granger had said before, it was my father!"  
  
"So then you went running to Dumbledore. Threatened him! You said you were going to see to it that he was the first to die! I heard you!"  
  
"I was scared! I bet you like hearing that don't you? I. was. scared." they were at each others throats at this point. Mrs. Weasley pushed Harry back down in his seat, while Hermione pulled Malfoy back.  
  
"What else did you hear Harry?" Lupin asked, calmly. Harry decided not to mention Hermione, he didn't want to embaress her.  
  
"I heard Professor Snape. He was telling him that he'd picked his side, and he had to stick with it. Voldemort already considered him a traitor, and that he'd protect him." Harry replied.  
  
"See, I told you." Malfoy sneered. The room remained quiet for a moment, while Lupin thought about what to do. The twins came walking down the stairs, half asleep.  
  
"What's going on down here?" asked Fred  
  
"What's with all the bickering?" asked George.  
  
"Go back to bed. We'll explain in the morning." Mrs. Weasley replied, shooing them out of the kitchen and back up the stairs.  
  
"I'll write to Alastor in the morning explaining to him everything that happened. That might calm his nerves a bit. Don't be suprised if it doesn't, though. You four need to get some sleep. Back upstairs with you." Lupin said and escorted them to the steps. Hermione stood between Malfoy and Harry.  
  
"I don't know how he expects us to sleep now." Ron mumbled. They saw Kreacher scurry by, the bedroom door stood wide open.  
  
"You don't suspect he got into the pensieve, do you?" Harry asked the others.  
  
"I hope not, Harry. To be honest, you need to find a safer hiding spot for that. Yours is liable to be marked as a very valuable tool. If Voldemort got his hands on it, we could be done for. He'd have an account of every single thing you've been through the past five and a half years. He'd know your weaknesses" Hermione answered, softly.  
  
"Sixteen years, actually. My only memory of my parents is in there." Harry corrected, sadly. Hermione said goodbye to the boys and headed across the hall to her and Ginny's room. Her and Malfoy's eyes met, then they both looked away. Harry closed the door behind Malfoy. A third bed had been added to the room, making it more cramped than it usually was. Harry put his Pensieve into the cupboard and locked it with a charm. They all got ready for bed and settled in.  
  
"I can't sleep." Ron stated after they'd all been laying there in the dark for about an hour.  
  
"Well, I'm at least attempting, if you don't mind." Malfoy turned over and covered himself with the blankets. Harry got out of bed.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"To visit Buckbeak, I've been neglecting him since we got here." Ron got up to follow.  
  
"Oh, come on. I'm not staying in here alone." Malfoy complained.  
  
"Afraid of the dark?" Harry teased.  
  
"I'm not going to risk being hexed by one of you in my sleep." he replied angrily, and crawled out of bed. They quietly walked down the hall way and into the master bedroom where Black had been keeping Buckbeak. The Hippogriff was laying on the floor, peacefully. He looked up when he saw them come in. Harry went over and petted him on the beak. He nudged Harry's hand. Malfoy stood as close to the door as possible, nearly frozen with fear.  
  
"Afraid he'll remember you?" Ron asked him.  
  
"Shut up, Weasel. It wasn't your arm he nearly tore off, now was it?"  
  
"You didn't have to follow us and well maybe if you'd been a little nicer to him instead of calling him names, he wouldn't have done it." Harry stated. Buckbeak turned its attention on Malfoy.  
  
"Just bow to him." Ron smiled. Malfoy was now one with the door. He bowed slowly, not losing eye contact. Cautiously, Buckbeak returned the bow.  
  
"See he forgives you."  
  
"That's nice." Malfoy replied, weakly. He stopped bowing and slowly moved towards the hippogriff. He petted the beak slightly, then quickly took his hand away. He laughed nervously, then regained composure. Harry smiled and petted Buckbeak's feathers. Ron went over to the closet and pulled out a bag of dead rats and ferrets.  
  
"Do you want to feed him?"  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Malfoy jumped back from the bag of dead rodents. He moved back towards the door.  
  
Malfoy spent the rest of the holiday in solitude, sulking in the attic or working on his studies. Hermione joined him occasionally, but spent most of her time with Ron and Harry trying to figure out what Voldemort might be up to. She'd made a huge list of new charms and spells for DA to practice once they got back to school. Ron and Harry worked to learn them just as well as she had. Harry too, found himself to be spending more time alone, with his Pensieve. Putting new memories into it, and going back through his happiest moments. Soon it was time to head back to Hogwarts. Lupin and Mrs. Weasley woke them all up early, yelling about the importance of them being at King's Cross on time.  
"All right! I get the importance!" he snapped back at Mrs. Weasley when she'd come into the bedroom a third time to make sure they were packing. She looked taken back, then huffed and left the room.  
  
"It was never like this at the mansion." he added under his breath.  
  
"Why do you treat my mom like that?"  
  
"Because she's mudblood-loving filth, Weasley."  
  
"You are too, you keep forgetting how much you fancy Hermione." Harry pointed out, shoving the last of his belongings into his already over stuffed suitcase.  
  
"I don't fancy her. She fancy's me. To me, it's just sex. I'm with Parkinson." Malfoy smirked and sat down on his bed. He didn't have anything to pack since he'd never unpacked in the first place.  
  
"Yeah, you keep mentioning that, but I wouldn't brag. Pansy looks like a overstuffed pug." Ron commented.  
  
"Shut up. She's a pureblood, and more witch than Granger will ever be."  
  
"Yet, Hermione is the only one that can talk some sense into you. I heard her in the Vera-Orb. The things she says to you are always running through your head, aren't they?" Harry sat down on his bed and faced Malfoy, who just scowled at him. George and Fred showed up at the door.  
  
"You ready then?"  
  
"Mom wants to have a word with you before you head on over to King's Cross." Fred said and looked at Malfoy, who seemed to be a worst mood than ever. They lugged their suitcases downstairs.  
  
"Hey can you boys help?" Ginny called from upstairs. Ron and Harry went to help the girls with their things. Harry was having a hard time with Hermione's.  
  
"What's in here? The library?"  
  
"Just a few selected readings that Tonks said I could borrow from the Black's collection. I'm thinking there might be something in them that can help us be prepared for whatever Voldemort has planned." she replied and helped push it from the bedroom onto the landing. Harry was out of breath.  
  
"Oh please." Malfoy scoffed then grabbed the suitcase from Harry and drug it downstairs. Harry helped Ron with Ginny's, which was reasonably lighter. Mrs. Weasley gathered them around.  
  
"It's been so good having all of you here with us for Christmas. I hope you all have a good term, and send an owl if you need anything." She hugged everyone, but Malfoy, Fred and George. The twins were staying of official Order business.  
  
"Now for the matter of getting you back to school. We can't use the potion again, because you need to be awake for the prefect's meeting, so this is a huge deal of trust, Draco." she continued, facing Malfoy.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Don't tell anyone the location of the Order. I got it." he rolled his eyes. They proceeded to walk down to King's Cross, pushing their belongings on carts. Harry was out of breath by the time they reached the train station. They moved their way to the spot between platforms nine and ten. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny went first.  
  
"We'll see you on the other side boys, be careful." Mrs. Weasley smiled and followed Ginny through.  
  
"Who wants to go next?" Ron asked. Hermione decided she'd go, and made sure that no one around was watching. She got a headstart and ran towards the barrier. She ran straight into it, causing a commotion. Ron and Harry helped her up, while Malfoy doubled over laughing.  
  
"It's not funny. The barrier is shut." she snapped, dusting herself off and nursing her arm. Harry tried to push his hand through, but all he felt was the cold stone of the column.  
  
"So then how do we get through?" Malfoy asked, and leaned against his cart.  
  
"I don't know, Dobby had closed it before our second year. That's when we stole the car..." Harry stated, still pressing against the rock hoping that it'd work. It remained solid.  
  
"Well we can't go around stealing cars now can we?"  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry helped Hermione pick up her belongings and put them back on her cart.  
  
"I figured I'd find you with them, Draco. Look at how pathetic you've become." they heard a deep voice from behind them. Everyone turned and faced Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy stepped back into Ron, then shoved him aside.  
  
"Your mother was worried when you didn't come home for the holiday. I knew you'd have too much shame to come back. You've become a disgrace to the family name. My own flesh and blood." he continued. Harry, Malfoy, and Hermione all pulled out their wands immediatly as Lucius began to slowly advance on them.  
  
"Do you think I'm dumbwitted enough to use magic. I've just come to offer you once last chance to show your loyalty to your family. Defy me again, and you'll be no different than them to me. I'll kill you the first chance I get."  
  
"Then you better start planning for my funeral than shouldn't you? I've made my decision."  
  
"Don't be cheeky. I'm still your legal guardian, don't expect to remain at the school for much longer."  
  
"What are you going to do, father? Pull me out? Hell if Dumbledore will send me back to you."  
  
"What have they done to you? What've they brainwashed you with? By the end of this, you'll see you chose the wrong side, and you'll suffer for it. Dumbledore's pathetic followers won't trust you with anything, they know your history better than you do. Once the Dark Lord has what he needs, who do you think they'll turn on first? I can't believe I ever called you my son. I'll call on you again within the next month. You have one more chance." Lucius growled, then apparated. Malfoy's eyes glistened, but he refused to shed any tears. Instead, he turned his anger at Ron who was still standing next to him.  
  
"What are you looking at, Weasel?" he snarled, then threw a book at one of the trains. A passing guard came up to them, looking a bit biwildered.  
  
"You think you're funny do you? Throwing books around. I'm going to be back here in five minutes, if I catches you around here again, I'll take you in. Got that?" he lectured.  
  
"Sorry, sir." Malfoy gritted through his teeth. The guard walked off, only looking back once and shaking his head.  
  
"Oh my God! We've missed the train!" Hermione nearly shrieked, looking up at the clock. She leaned against her cart, wanting to cry.  
  
"They're going to take away my prefect badge. I'll have to go home to my parents for the rest of the school year. I'll be behind everyone in our classes."  
  
"Calm down, Hermione. We can take the Knight Bus." Harry told her. They dragged their things outside and waited. About ten minutes later a triple decker purple bus pulled up next to them, with a BANG. Ron moaned.  
  
"I hate the Knight Bus." he complained and stood up. Stan came out and smiled at them.  
  
"You again, well come on then, don't just stand there. Can't keep yerselved outta trouble can, ya." Stan stated as he loaded their suitcases. They got on board and looked for a place to sit. It was rather empty than it had been the previous year. They all took seats on the first floor. Stan eyed Malfoy as he sat down next to Hermione.  
  
"'Eaded off to 'Ogwarts again then?" he asked Harry, who nodded.  
  
"All right then, Ern! 'Ogsmeade!" Stan yelled at the driver, and with another BANG the bus lurched forward knocking Malfoy into Hermione, who knocked into Ron, who pushed Harry over in his seat. They clung to dear life to the polls by the seats.  
  
"You're looking paler than normal, Malfoy. Can't handle it?" Harry asked. Malfoy shot him a glare, then was thrown forward. Hermione clung to him to hold him in his seat, and to keep herself from falling over as well.  
  
"I've seen your father in the paper, there mate! You're the Malfoy's kid, right?" Stan questioned. Malfoy ignored him.  
  
"Well fine then, it's just the ministry's 'eadstrong 'bout findin him. Dangerous wizard 'e is. You anythin like 'im?" once again, Malfoy pretended he didn't hear him. Stan got the point and left to go talk to a witch who was in the far back of the bus.  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick." Ron muttered, clutching his stomach as the Knight Bus pulled into Hogsmeade. They got off and grabbed their luggage, with another BANG they were left to themselves in the middle of the village.  
  
"That way." Hermione pointed and started trying to drag her suitcase. Malfoy rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa! Honestly, Granger." he muttered, and walked ahead of her. She blushed as he left her standing there feeling like an idiot. The rest of them levitated their things and walked towards Hogwarts. They'd gotten back to school before the Hogwarts Express. They placed their things in the hallway and headed towards Dumbledore's office, they were greeted half way, by Snape.  
  
"Good to see you've arrived." he said coldly. Harry half thought he'd been hoping they would've missed the train and stayed behind with the Order.  
  
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore." Malfoy told him. Snape nodded and led them up to the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was petting Faux who'd, it seemed, recently burst into flames.  
  
"You've all made it back safely, very good. I heard that there was a problem at King's Cross and was afraid that something'd happened. I sent Molly back looking for you, but she told me she couldn't find sight of you anywhere. Have a seat." he smiled, and sat down in his chair at his desk. Malfoy and Harry took the two seats, while Ron and Hermione stood between the two chairs.  
  
"I know you must be frustrated with the fact that niether Molly nor Reamus were able to tell you anything about the current situation, but I'm afraid I didn't want to spoil your holidays."  
  
"So it is bad." Harry stated.  
  
"Voldemort's plan to attack the school is nearly finished. He called Severus to him about two weeks ago, to discuss the details in further. It is to happen on the fifteenth of March." he continued.  
  
"The Ides of March." Hermione thought out loud.  
  
"Yes, it was also a planned Hogmeade visit. He'd orginally decided to attack the village and move his way into the school, as you know Mr. Malfoy. But your father has suggested a change of plans, as he figured you'd already given me that piece of information. He's going to use the dementors to get his army into the school and attack us directly. My abilities no longer threaten him, I'm afraid."  
  
"So what are we going to do?" Harry asked.  
  
"That I cannot tell you at the present moment, but be assured that when I can, I'll call on you again. Now, I think the others have arrived, so you best join your classmates. Don't think on it too much, as worry does the mind and body no good." Dumbledore stood up and led them to the door. As they decended the staircase they saw the rest of the school coming in, talking about their holiday and the things they got for Christmas, completly unaware of what they were going to have to face in a few months time.  
  
"I'll see you tonight, then?" Malfoy directed at Hermione."  
  
"Yes, in the Room of Requirement this time. Dumbledore thought it'd be safer there." she replied. He nodded then headed back towards the Slytherin common room. Pansy ran up to him and kissed him. Hermione watched, perplexed.  
  
"You're still tutoring him? But his grades are back up." Ron stated as they headed towards the Great Hall for the feast. She blushed.  
  
"I've been teaching him about Occlumency since October, with Snape's help of course."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?"  
  
"It wasn't that important. It's just so that he'll be able to fight back against his father better. That way he can be of some use to us without Voldemort finding out everything he knows. It's not that big of a deal." she stated and walked off quickly towards the Great Hall, leaving Harry and Ron at her stunned.  
  
"I didn't know she knew about that sort of thing." Ron commented. Harry shrugged and they walked off after her. 


	14. Class is Cancelled

"Homework on our first day back." Ron moaned as he joined Hermione and Harry, the next day at lunch. He set his books down beside him. Harry threw aside The Daily Prophet.  
  
"Another family of muggles was attacked last night." he informed Ron. Ron picked up the paper and read through the article.  
  
"Lucius. It had to have been. It wasn't too far from King's Cross. It's really started then. We only have two and a half months." he commented.  
  
"I think we should get the DA together. Even if Dumbledore won't tell us what's going on, we have to do what we can. We can start teaching those spells we've been working on." Hermione glanced over at the Slytherin table. Malfoy was joking with Crabbe and Goyle about something, but she noticed that they were acting differently, and weren't as amused as usual.  
  
"They know now, and I'm sure it won't be long before all of Slytherin knows that Draco's betrayed them." she added.  
  
"Let him deal with that, it's not our place to go messing around in Slytherin business. He can handle it, Hermione." Harry warned her, reading her mind. They finished eating then headed to their double potions class. They were there early, and there wasn't any sign of Snape. They sat down at their desks and Hermione pulled out a roll of parchment where she'd organized the list of spells and charms she'd discovered during the holidays. They were listed in order by difficulty.  
  
"So when should we meet?" Ron asked her.  
  
"I don't know. It's hard with me tutoring Malfoy almost every night, and I'm not sure whether or not it'd fly well if he attended the meetings. At least not until everything is out in the open." she replied.  
  
"Get out of tutoring then this Saturday, tell him you have to work on homework or something. What classes do you have that he doesn't?"  
  
"Muggle Studies."  
  
"Well tell him there's an important essay you have to write. He won't question it, it's the subject he hates the most." Harry said quietly as the rest of the class started filing in. Malfoy and Pansy came in last and took seats in the back of the classroom. He wrote something on a piece of paper, rolled it into a ball and chucked it at the back of Harry's head. It hit its target. Harry picked it up and looked back at him, but he was engaged in a conversation with Pansy. He unfolded the paper and flattened it out.  
  
iMeet me tonight in the Room for Requirements after my session with Granger./i  
  
He looked back again at Malfoy, who smirked in his direction. Hermione took the note from Harry and read it for herself.  
  
"What's this about?" she asked. Harry shrugged.  
  
Snape came storming into the classroom. He went straight up to the front of the room and cleared his throat to get the classes attention. The conversations dwindled into silence and everyone turn towards the front of the room. Snape made sure everyone had eye contact before announcing,  
  
"Classes have been cancelled. You're all to report to your house and remain there for the rest of the evening. Dinner will be served to you around six o'clock. Not one of you are to leave the common rooms. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
"What's happened?" Seamus Finnigan asked.  
  
"That's none of your concern at the moment. Weasley, Granger, Malfoy, and Parkinson. As prefects you're to make sure everyone in your house is there, then proceed to The Room of Requirement for more details. Now go." Snape answered, coldly. The class got up and headed to the door, whispering frantically. Everyone had their own ideas of what was going on, and rumors began to fly before they even left the class.  
  
"Potter! You are to join the prefects under Dumbledore's orders. Don't be late." Snape added as he, Hermione, and Ron reached the door. He nodded. Malfoy joined them at the door and stood by Hermione's side.  
  
"Do you think this has anything to do with Voldemort?" Ron asked.  
  
"God, you're slow. Of course it does." Malfoy remarked with a smirk.  
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with Parkinson making sure all your death eater friends are there, instead of wandering about getting into trouble?"  
  
"Mind your business, Weasley. I have to talk to Granger." Malfoy leaned in and whispered something to Hermione, she turned pink a bit, then nodded. He then ran off to catch up with Pansy.  
  
"What was that about?" Ron watched Malfoy turn the corner.  
  
"Nothing. Let's go." she headed off towards Gryffindor Tower. Ron and Hermione calmed everyone down and made sure everyone was there, then headed back down to The Room of Requirement. She pulled Harry aside before entering.  
  
"Malfoy wants to see me tonight, and he needs to talk to you. I don't know how we're going to manage that without Ron knowing. We'll have to use the invisbility cloak, but I need you to come up with something to tell Ron. He's going to be hurt for being left out."  
  
"I'll talk to him." they joined the rest of the group, they were the last ones there. Pansy kept trying to kiss on Malfoy, but he kept moving out of reach. Dumbledore joined them and called the meeting to order.  
  
"Now it has been called to my attention that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered the school. Not him persay, but he's used the Imperius curse on two of the students." at these words, everyone started talking at once. Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.  
  
"It is your duty to keep everyone calm and safe. The common rooms will be locked with a password that only myself and the head's of your house will know." Dumbledore continued.  
  
"It's Crabbe and Goyle." Malfoy muttered.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, could you speak up? I'm afraid at my age, I'm a bit hard of hearing."  
  
"It's Crabbe and Goyle." he repeated, nervously.  
  
"Are you certain?"  
  
"I overheard them talking in the common room last night. They were to meet with the Dark Lord, and then they never showed up for classes. I didn't see them again till lunch. They have something to do with it." he looked at Hermione, who gave him a sympathetic look. Pansy just looked at him with horror. He'd just ratted out his best friends and commited the biggest act of betrayal.  
  
"How do we know you're telling the truth? You're a Slytherin! Your whole lot is probably working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You'd just love for us to believe you and then attack us from behind." Hannah Abbott shouted, standing up. The whole room broke out in commotion. Malfoy got up and left the room. Pansy followed. Hermione ran off after them. Dumbledore raised his hand once again, silencing the room.  
  
"Harry, if you would please go get Miss Granger, Miss Parkinson, and Mr. Malfoy." he said, once the group had quieted down. Harry nodded and slid out of his seat. He looked down the hallway but he didn't see anyone. He heard noises from around the corner.  
  
"Draco, how could you? What are you doing going telling Dumbledore about Crabbe and Goyle? Your father is going to be furius!" Pansy yelled at Draco.  
  
"Well it seems to me that you have very little insight into recent events, Parkinson. And how dare you speak to me that way! If it wasn't for my father you wouldn't even be in this school you half-breed!" he hit her. She clutched her cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco." she whimpered.  
  
"I told Dumbledore because he needed to know. Honestly, haven't you heard anything over the holiday. My father's disowned me. You can stick around and help the Dark Lord, but really think about it. He's so obsessed with Potter, he's going to slip up."  
  
"But everyone else-"  
  
"Shut up. Can't you think for yourself?"  
  
"What's happened to you Draco, you've been this way since SHE started tutoring you. You fancy the mudblood, don't you?" she snapped. He went to hit her again, but Hermione held him back.  
  
"Stop! Now isn't the time for this!" she pleaded. Pansy turned on her and attacked her.  
  
"You did this to him!" she screamed at Hermione and started pulling her hair. Harry rushed over to help Malfoy seperate them. Malfoy pulled Pansy off of Hermione and threw her against the wall and forced himself on her.  
  
"Now go, run back to your Lord, tell him we'll take him on. We're not afraid." Malfoy snarled at her, then grabbed her arm and threw her in the direction of the hallway. Pansy ran off crying. Harry helped Hermione up. She'd been scratched across the face by Pansy's sharp nails. She pulled her hair back up once more and stuck a pencil in it to hold it into place. She flinched as Malfoy checked her cut.  
  
"Dumb bitch." he scoffed, looking in the direction Pansy had run.  
  
"Dumbledore wants you to come back to the room." Harry mentioned. He was uneasy about the situation. They followed him back inside. Everyone was calm and just watched as they sat down.  
  
"What happened to you, Hermione?" Ron asked.  
  
"Where's Pansy?" Hannah asked.  
  
"Pansy has decided not to join us." Malfoy replied, cooly. The whispers started again, but were immediatly stopped by Dumbledore.  
  
"Due to Draco's honesty, we have some sort of idea where to start looking."  
  
"Try the kitchen." Ron whispered to Harry.  
  
"Mr. Weasley this is serious."  
  
"It's just that it's Crabbe and Goyle. He won't get very far with those two." Ron explained.  
  
"They may not be very smart, but those under the Imperius curse have the ability to do things they wouldn't be able to achieve normally." Hermione told him. Ron, having be told off, turned a bright shade of red that almost matched his hair. Everyone was arguing and discussing the situation again. Dumbledore sighed.  
  
"I see we're not going to get anywhere tonight. You're all excused. Any questions you have you may ask the head of your house."  
  
Everyone got up and left. Harry and Malfoy stayed back. Harry had some questions, and Malfoy wasn't quite sure if it was safe for him to return to the Slytherin commonroom. By now, Pansy would've told everyone what'd happened.  
  
"Harry, I know you may not be up to it, but seeing as you're one of the few who've faced Voldemort before, I have to ask that you join us in the search for Crabbe and Goyle." Dumbledore told him, heading to leave. Harry nodded and joined Dumbledore back to his office. Malfoy followed.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"You don't expect me to go back to Slytherin?"  
  
"Well yes, you are a prefect, you have duties to attend to."To be honest, I think he's right. I mean it might be wrong to say, but most of the Slytherin house supports Voldemort. He's just betrayed his house."  
  
"You will be fine. If anything happens, Professor Snape will take care of it." Dumbledore smiled then headed off for his office again. He reached the Gargoyle and repeated the password.  
  
"Pie Coconut."  
  
He looked back to see Harry, with Malfoy standing beside him.  
  
"All right then, well if you insist, you can help Harry. Follow me." they followed him up to his office and sat down in the chair across from his desk.  
  
"Now, what I was going to say was, it seems he's using your classmates as a way to figure out our weakness. It's also another weak attempt to get at you, Harry. There are dementors surrounding the school. I assume he's placed them there in case we try and stop him. But not to worry, they can't get into the castle, yet. We have the other professors and Filtch searching the school, but they've gotten good at hiding either that or they have some sort of invisibility."  
  
"But you can see through invisibilty cloaks. You've seen Ron and I loads of times."  
  
"There are other things other than cloaks that can make one invisible. You two working together might actually be beneficial. It's a big school, and I'm aware that it might take several hours to find them, but you Harry know Voldemort best, you run through his veins. And Draco, you know Crabbe and Goyle, you know where they might lead him. Anything they might've said to you could be crucial at this moment."  
  
"They wouldn't talk about it with me. They heard that I'd betrayed my father and been disowned. They didn't trust me." Malfoy replied. He looked at Harry who was watching him.  
  
"But I have some idea where they could be leading him.. or where he could be leading them. Before we went on holiday, they kept talking about the Chamber of Secrets. They said that he'd hid things in there that would be useful to him now." he added.  
  
"Why didn't you say anything sooner, Malfoy?"  
  
"Maybe I didn't want to." he snapped back at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes. He'd once thought Malfoy had been a bit intimidating, but over the past few years he started seeing him how he really was. He was scared and jealous, and he didn't know how to deal with those two emotions. He wasn't like his father, because he didn't know which side he wanted to be on. Harry figured Malfoy picked sides by whichever would be most beneficial to him, but now he was starting to see that maybe there was more to it. He could see straight through Malfoy's lies and see the scared boy underneath the temper. Now he saw what Hermione had seen. Now he understood her.  
  
"Well, I know where the Chamber is, come on. It should be safe now that the Basilisk's been defeated."  
  
"What's a Basilisk?" Malfoy asked. Harry remembered that only he, Ron, and Ginny were the only ones who knew the real story behind the Basilisk, the journal, the messages on the wall, and the mysterious attack on the students in their second year.  
  
"Remember back in second year when everyone was getting attacked. No one else was told what it really was, it was Voldemort. He came back as a memory through the journal that your father had planted in Ginny's Cauldron. The Basilisk was the snake that was petrifying everyone. The only one who could control it was the heir of Slytherin."  
  
"Voldemort."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So that's why you can speak Parcel tongue, cause he can?"  
  
"Technically yes."  
  
"Well you boys have work to do, if you need anything or run into trouble, I'll know. Harry take the invisibilty cloak, for safety. Draco, I do have to say I'm rather pleased at your honesty at the meeting earlier. You've grown to show potential to be a great Wizard someday. Under any other circumstance, I'm sure your father would be proud. Lemon drop, before you leave?"  
  
"No thanks." both Malfoy and Harry replied, then left.  
  
"Let's make one thing clear, Potter. We're working together, but we're still not friends. Once this is over, I'll be happy if I never see the three of you again." Malfoy stated as they headed towards Gryffindor tower to get the invisibilty cloak.  
  
"Even Hermione?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"I think you better stay out here." Harry stopped Malfoy before reaching the Fat Lady.  
  
"I'm not staying out here alone."  
  
"Yes, well you're still safer out here than in there. Not everyone knows you're on our side, remember. Everyone will think it's you."  
  
"Fine. Hurry up." he leaned up against the staircase and pulled out his wand. Harry climbed through the portrait hole and was greeted by Ron and Hermione.  
  
"How is everything here?" he asked them.  
  
"Fine, everyone freaked out at first. But then they realized they don't have to go class for the rest of the day." Hermione told him.  
  
"Once I told them it was Crabbe and Goyle, everyone stopped taking it seriously." Ron added.  
  
"Probably for the best. Malfoy and I are going to find them."  
  
"Please be careful, Harry. And I know he can be aggrivating, it's just a-"  
  
"I know, Hermione. I'll be fine. I need to grab the cloak, he's waiting out in the hallway." Harry inturrupted, then pushed passed her and up to his room. He looked outside. The sun should've been shining brightly across the remenense of the snow. It'd been a beautiful morning. Now dark clouds hung over the sky, thick with sleet and rain ready to fall. The snow seemed thicker and colder than usual, and Harry could make out the dementors down at the front gate. He shivered and rushed out of the room.  



	15. Returning to the Chamber

Harry got through the Gryffindor crowd which had surrounded him to ask questions, and made his way out the portrait hole. Hermione was with Draco, and they were kissing passionatly. Harry cleared his throat. They stopped, but neither let go of the other's hand. She kissed him again on the cheek then hugged Harry.  
  
"Be careful." she told them, then went back through the portrait hole.  
  
"I don't care if I never see you three again." Harry mocked as he covered himself and Malfoy with the invisibilty cloak. Malfoy hit him hard in the arm.  
  
"I dare you to mock me again, Potter." he sneered. Harry shrugged and started walking in the direction of the Girl's bathroom. He opened the door slowly and they crept in, making sure that no one was around to see the door open by itself. Once inside, Harry removed the cloak.  
  
"May I ask why we're in the girl's bathroom?"  
  
"Because this is the enterance into the Chamber of Secrets."  
  
"Great, now where is it? Behind the tampon despenser maybe? Or what about one of the stalls and we'll just flush our way in."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy. I need to think."  
  
"Who's there?" came a whiny voice from the windowsill. Harry and Malfoy looked up to see Moaning Myrtle watching them with curiousity.  
  
"It's just me, Myrtle."  
  
"Harry Potter! You never came to see me! You promised you would! You're just like all the others!"  
  
"I'm sorry Myrtle, I've just been real busy."  
  
"Who's the blonde one?" she asked with a smile and floated on over to them. Malfoy began to get nervous while she looked him over.  
  
"Well aren't you going to introduce me?" she whined and pouted at Harry.  
  
"This is Draco Malfoy. He's the Slytherin Prefect."  
  
"Slytherin? What are you doing here? Two other Slytherins came by earlier, but they weren't like you. They were fat and ugly. They wanted to know how to get into the Chamber, so I told them just to talk to the snake."  
  
"Did they find a way in, Myrtle?"  
  
"Oh yes, the bigger uglier one then sounded completly different, not at all like the voice of a sixteen year old boy, but like a grown handsome man." she sighed.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well he started speaking that funny language that you speak, and into the chamber they went. Was about an hour ago. They were mean though, they reminded me of the boys that used to tease me. Nasty Slytherins!" she yelled this last part at Malfoy then took off back up to the windowsill. Malfoy smirked.  
  
"What's her problem?"  
  
"She was killed by the Basilisk the first time around. She haunts the girl's bathroom. She's really not all that bad once you get past the whining and you can actually talk to her."  
  
"I can hear you down there, Harry Potter! If you're not going to be nice to me, then just leave!"  
  
"Sorry, Myrtle. I was just explaining to him the incident which caused your death. We'll be going."  
  
"Into the Chamber?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"My offer still stands, Harry. If you should die." she smiled sweetly at him. Harry half-smiled back, then turned his attention to the sinks. He looked around at the taps looking for the snake. But it was gone.  
  
"Myrtle, I have one more question."  
  
"What is it?" she asked, already bored with their presence.  
  
"Is the spout still broken? The one that leads into the Chamber."  
  
"Oh yes, it'll never work, there are no pipes to it."  
  
"Thanks." he began turning on all the taps until he found the one that didn't work. He then tried to think of something to say in Parseltongue. He summoned for it to open, and from the look on Malfoy's face, he could tell that it wasn't in English. The tap began to glow, and soon the sinks were seperating to reveal the dark tunnel that led down into the Chamber.  
  
"How is it you can speak Parseltongue anyway? You're not a Slytherin, and who's ever heard of a Gryffindor speaking the language of snakes?"  
  
"The night my parent's died, Voldemort gave me some of his power. That's why we're bound to one another."  
  
"So say Longbottom had been picked and not you would that mean he'd still get piss poor grades but still be able to talk to snakes?"  
  
"If he'd picked Longbottom, Voldemort would've been in power." Harry paused for a moment, not quite sure whether or not to tell Malfoy any more than he already had.  
  
"The night we got sorted, our first year, the sorting hat told me I would do well in Slytherin. I begged it not to, so that I wouldn't have to deal with the likes of you. Not that it mattered much, I'm still stuck dragging you around."  
  
"First thing, I told you that night that you should've stuck with me. You were meant to be a Slytherin. Secondly, you're not dragging me any where, I'll go where I like."  
  
"Then why don't you just go back to your common room." Harry replied, irritably. Malfoy sneered at him then looked down the pipe leading to the chamber.  
  
"So how do we get down there?"  
  
"We jump in."  
  
"I'm not jumping down there."  
  
Harry, getting fed up with him pushed him in. Malfoy screamed until Harry heard a noise, telling him that Malfoy had reached the bottom.  
  
"When you get down here, Potter, you're going to pay for that!" Malfoy's voice echoed up the pipe. Harry slid down in after him, and fell on top of him as he was starting to stand up. Malfoy pushed him off, then stood up. Harry brushed himself off. He bairly had time to adjust to the darkness when a flash of light came at him and knocked him back down to the ground. Malfoy stood there with his wand point directly him, with a smirk on his face.  
  
"Try that again and I might be tempted to use the Cruciatus Curse."  
  
"Well, I'll have a hard time explaining to Dumbledore why only one of us came back from the Chamber." Harry threatened back. Malfoy scoffed and helped Harry off the ground.  
  
"Now where are we going?" he asked.  
  
"Lumos!" Harry's wand lit up the path leading into the dark tunnels of the chamber.  
"They're going to see you coming, put that out." Malfoy snapped, grabbing for Harry's wand. Harry threw the invisbility cloak over him and Malfoy, then headed deeper into the chamber. Malfoy remained close by jumping as he stepped on rat skeletons and old snake skin.  
  
"That thing is dead for sure, right?" he asked, nervously.  
  
"Yes, trust me." Harry replied, leading them into the heart of the Chamber. His stomach turned as he saw the familiar statue of Salazar Slytherin. He turned cold remembering what Ginny had looked like, lying on the floor so close to death. He threw the invisibilty cloak off of them. There was no sign of Crabbe or Goyle.  
  
"Woah." was all Malfoy was able to manage as he touch the cold stone of one of the carved pillars. He smiled wickedly up at the statue of the man who'd created his house. Salazar Slytherin was a God to him. Harry looked over noticing the stench of rotting flesh filling his nose. The Basilisk lay rotting right where Harry had fought it, four years ago. All that really remained was the skeletal structure of the long snake.  
  
"What happened down here?" Malfoy questioned, still looking up at the statue.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing that concerns you. Come on we've got to find Crabbe and Goyle." he pulled at Malfoy's robes and they started searching through the numerous tunnels. They turned up nothing. Then all of a sudden an idea started to swim into Harry's head. He'd remembered that the Basilisk had come from inside the statue of Slytherin, but from where he didn't know. There had to be something it guarded while it wasn't lurking through the pipes.  
  
"The statue." he stated and ran back out into the center of the chamber. He tried to think of what Riddle had said that caused it to open. He racked his brain hard. Malfoy was beginning to get impatient.  
  
"What about the statue?"  
  
"It leads somewhere, through the mouth. I can't remember how to command it to open." Harry replied, then it hit him.  
  
"Speak to me, Slytherin. Greatest of the Hogwarts Four." he yelled up at the statue. Nothing happened. Malfoy smirked.  
  
"Great good that's done us now. Besides why would it listen to you, you're a Gryffindor."  
  
"Then you try it. You're Slytherin."  
  
"Fine. Speak to me, Slytherin. Greatest of the Hogwarts Four." He repeated, sounding more bored than meaningful. But soon the statue began to move and the mouth opened. Malfoy jumped back. He'd not been expecting anything to happen. Harry went over and started climbing the statue.  
  
"Are you coming?" he asked looking down at Malfoy. He got to the top and hopped up into the mouth. Malfoy was struggling on getting a firm grasp on the slippery stone. He was bigger than Harry, so he weighed slightly more and was having trouble pulling himself up. Harry offered him a hand, which he grudgingly accepted. As they stepped back into what looked like another tunnel, the mouth began to close behind them. They were left in the dark.  
  
"Lumos!" Harry commanded his wand again. Malfoy did the same. They walked down the steps which led down through the insides of the statue into a room. The walls were lined with viles of potions and other miscellanous objects of magic. They were not alone. Crabbe and Goyle laid on the floor, not moving. Malfoy rushed over to Crabbe and felt his pulse.  
  
"He's dead." he informed Harry. They both went over to to Goyle.  
  
"He's still alive, but just. We have to get him back to Dumbledore." Harry told him, and they started to lift Goyle up.  
  
"You're not taking him anywhere." a feminine voice announced from behind them. They both turned around quickly. 


	16. Parkinson's Secret

Harry and Malfoy turned to see Pansy Parkinson standing in their path. Malfoy dropped Goyle and advanced at her. She pointed her wand at him. and smirked. He backed off.  
  
"What a predicament you're in now, Draco."  
  
"What happened to Crabbe?"  
  
"He started having second thoughts. He figured you had a good reason for turning against our Lord, and wanted to follow in your footsteps, but I put a stop to that." she smiled.  
  
"What'd you do to him?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Well the killing spell seemed to work just fine, don't you think, Draco?" she walked over to Malfoy and kissed him on the lips. He didn't fight it. She ran her wand down his body and studied him with her eyes.  
  
"Pansy, we have to get Goyle to Madame Pomfrey." Harry told her, urgently.  
  
"Shut up. Do you really think I care if he lives or dies? He's been getting in the way since first year." she snapped.  
  
"In the way of what? You and I? All because of that nonsense my father put into your head about us?" Malfoy grabbed her wrist, forcing her to drop her wand.  
  
"We're meant to be together, Draco. The Dark Lord has blessed us."  
  
"You're not even a pureblood. The only reason my father even suggested for us to be together was so that it'd clear your whore of a mother's name. Don't think that the Dark Lord doesn't know that one of his faithful followers fell in love with a mudblood. He knows your secret, and don't say that he's blessed us, when you know fair well that he didn't. You're just the product of a disgusting affair." He let go of her and went back to help Goyle.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled. Pansy's wand, which she'd just picked up, flew out of her hand and over to Harry. She then attacked Malfoy from behind and knocked him to the ground. He struggled to push her off, but she wrapped her hands around his neck.  
  
"If I can't have you, then neither can that filthy mudblood Granger! I'm sure the Dark Lord will be pleased that I've disposed of a traitor!" she screamed at him. Harry rushed over and tried to pull her off, but she was pushing all her force into fighting back against Malfoy. Malfoy grabbed reach of her wand in Harry's hand.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" he managed to get out. A huge flash of light lit up the chamber. Pansy's grasp around Malfoy's neck loosened and she fell on top of him. He quickly pushed her body off him and got up.  
  
"You know the killing curse?"  
  
"My father taught me it two years ago. To use against you, if the situation ever arose."  
  
"You're going to be expelled."  
  
"Probably, but it might be better than being killed by that filth. When I go, I'm going with glory, not by some obsessed mudblooded bitch." he flipped Pansy's body over with his foot.  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Her mother cheated on her father with some architect. Her father is a Muggle. The one she considers her father is a close friend with mine. So he covered up the mess. He demanded that I should marry her after we've left school. She became a deatheater before any of us. She was working hard to bring back the family name." Harry was a bit taken back that Malfoy had actually answered him with a true answer. For a minute the wall between them had been broken. But only for a minute.  
  
"Mention a word about it to anyone and I'll-" Malfoy started to sneer, but was caught off guard by a moan. They rushed over to Goyle. He was still unconcious, but moving slightly.  
  
"We have to get him out of here." said Harry, as they began to pick him up again. Harry looked around the room. He wondered what exactly Voldemort was after and if he'd already gotten it. He looked once more at Pansy's lifeless body.  
  
"Hold on." he rushed over to Pansy and began searching through the pockets of her robes and dress.  
  
"You know now's not really a good time to cop-a-feel, Potter." Malfoy managed under Goyle's weight. Harry found a two small viles in the pocket of her robes. He slipt them into his own to give to Dumbledore. Harry and Malfoy managed to push Goyle to the door. Malfoy spoke the words for it to open, but nothing happened.  
  
"What's going on?" Harry asked. He tried, but as suspected nothing. Malfoy collapsed under Goyle's weight and sat against the wall. Harry began searching around for another exit out of the Chamber of the Statue. There were shelves of things Harry had only seen in Snape's private collection of potion ingredients. None of them were labled.  
  
"Do you know what any of this is?" he asked Malfoy.  
  
"Salazar's secret stash, I suspect." Malfoy replied, taking off his robe and losing his tie, which was beginning to scrape against the welts that Pansy had left around his neck.  
  
"Do you know of anything that will get us out of here?"  
  
"Who do I look like? Sn- AH!" Malfoy clutched his head in pain and fell to the ground. Harry ran over to him, but was pushed aside. His scar began to burn and he noticed the dark mark on Malfoy's arm began to change color. He was trying to be contacted by Voldemort.  
  
"Clear your mind. Don't focus on any emotions!" Harry encouraged. Malfoy yelled out and fought back, until he collapsed completly and was left there trying to catch his breath. He'd resisted it.  
  
"Your father?" Harry finally asked. Malfoy sat back up against the wall again.  
  
"Voldemort." he winced, and held his side.  
  
"He didn't get what he sent Crabbe and Goyle after. I think he's realized that something's happened by now." Harry pulled out the viles. Malfoy took them and looked them over, then angrily threw them against the wall smashing them. He stood up and started trashing the shelves of the unmarked viles, until he was sure each one of them lay in pieces, with it contents spilling out over the floor.  
  
"I can't do this!" he shouted.No sooner than he had, the whole room began to shake. Debris fell from the ceiling. Harry clung to the wall to keep from falling. Malfoy grabbed a hold of him to keep his own balance. The mouth of Salazr Slytherin was opening. There stood Snape.  
  
"What's going on in here?" he asked, breathing in the stench from the mixed ingredients. Neither Harry nor Malfoy answered as he noticed the bodies of Pansy and Crabbe lying on the floor. He rushed Harry and Malfoy out of the Statue, and had them carry Goyle back up and out of the Chamber and into the Girl's Bathroom. Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey came rushing in. Myrtle watched excitedly from her windowsill.  
"Parkinson and Crabbe are still back in the Chamber, sir. They are desceased." Snape informed Dumbledore, who nodded sadly.  
  
"Get these students to the medical wing, Poppy." was the last Harry heard before falling into a deep sleep.  
  
He woke up again in the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey gave him a piece of chocolate. He looked around the room. Goyle was still unconscious lying in a bed not far away from him. Malfoy lay asleep in the bed next to him. There were a few other students. Two first years Harry didn't recognize and Lavender Brown, who'd come in complaining of a headache.  
  
"You've exhausted and worn out your body. You try to do too much." Madame Pomfrey said sternly, checking him over.  
  
"Will they be okay?"  
  
"Oh, yes. Mr. Malfoy, like you, just needs a bit of rest. I'll send the both of you back this afternoon. Mr. Goyle on the otherhand gave us a bit of a fright. Thought we'd lost him there for a moment. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did a real number on him. Pity to hear about Crabbe though, and Miss Parkinson. But I'll leave you to rest." she smiled at him and wandered off to cure Lavender's headache. Harry laid back down and tried to sleep, but he couldn't. There were too many unanswered questions. This whole situation confused him. What'd happened back in the Chamber? What did Voldemort want with the viles? What'd made Crabbe so desperate to change his ways at the last minute? How'd Pansy been able to get there before he did? Why had Malfoy been sincere? Why was Voldemort so desperate to reach him?  
  
He was still pondering the questions when Ron and Hermione came to see him before lunch. They informed him that the dementors were still lurking around Hogwarts, but because of Dumbledore, were unable to enter the grounds. The whole school knew about Pansy and Crabbe, and the Slytherin's were getting an even worse rep for supporting them. There'd been massive disputes in class that morning. And it got so bad in potions, that Snape had no choice but to cancel class for the day, but not first without assigning them a three-foot essay due tomorrow on Polyjuice potion and other transforming potions. Malfoy began to stir after they'd been there for half an hour. Hermione looked at him, then quickly looked away.  
  
"As usual, Potter gets the attention. Although I'm quite sure Weasel is quite cross, as he didn't get to play sidekick this time around." Malfoy smirked, then yawned. Ron ignored him.  
  
"What happened, Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah Dumbledore won't tell us anything." added Ron.  
  
"It was Parkinson that killed Crabbe. She tried to kill Malfoy too, and apparently she was the one that was going to deliver the ingredients to Voldemort."  
  
"How'd you stop her? I mean how did she die?"  
  
"I didn't. Malfoy did." he replied. He didn't want to be the one to mention the killing curse. Both Ron and Hermione looked over at Malfoy who was being taken care of by Madame Pomfrey.  
  
"What? Have a staring problem?" he glared at them.  
  
"How did he do it?" Hermione asked, afraid of what the answer might be. Ron on the other hand looked eager.  
  
"Did he strangle her or did he just kill her with his bad looks?"  
  
"Avada Kedavra." Harry whispered.  
  
"We're not supposed to use those curses, let alone know how to." Ron's eyes got wide. Hermione looked hurt. She looked back over at him as he was getting up to leave.  
  
"You may go too, Harry. You still have time to catch a bite to eat before class." Madame Pomfrey announced, handing him another piece of chocolate. He nodded then crawled out of bed. He wasn't hungry. He just wanted to change and get on with the rest of the day. He knew though that the school wouldn't let him. Everyone was going to want to know had happened in the Chamber. He went up to Gryffindor tower, took a shower, then got dressed. Seamus Finnigan came in, but when Harry tried to say hello, he grabbed his book bags and hurried off. In fact, everyone seemed to be avoiding him. The crowd in the common room stopped talking immediatly when he'd entered it, and no one had said a word to him. He decided not to go to class that day, and stayed in his room putting thoughts into his Pensieve.  
  
He didn't wake up until afternoon the next day. He went downstairs and headed to class. Everyone he passed avoided eye contact. He went down to the dungeon and headed to his double potions class. Malfoy was already there, everyone else hadn't arrived.  
  
"Have you been getting odd looks?" he asked, even though he could tell Malfoy wasn't in the mood to talk, and certainly not to him.  
  
"I just betrayed my entire house. Plus, my best friend and my girlfriend are dead. Ten points from Gryffindor for shear stupidity." he growled and turned away from Harry. Ron and Hermione came in next talking with Parvati Patil. She ditched them though, once she noticed Harry was in the room.  
  
"What's with everyone?" he asked them.  
  
"Everyone thinks that you're siding with Slytherin because you were with Malfoy. Someone in Ravenclaw started the rumor that you were both helping Crabbe and Goyle. They also think you're the one who killed Crabbe and Pansy." Hermione admitted.  
  
"They're afraid of you. They don't know what to believe. We've been taking points left and right, even from Gryffindor to try and stop the rumors." Ron continued.  
  
"Slytherin is furious with Malfoy and have been begging Snape to elect a new Prefect, one they can trust. Just like the Gryffindor's believe you're a traitor, they believe he is too."  
  
"The difference though, is that he is. I'm not. I was trying to protect everyone. Why do we go through this everytime I try and set something straight?" Harry snapped in a whisper.  
  
"Because you're Harry Potter. And no one's quite sure what to think." Hermione stated, then turning to face the front of the class as Snape walked in. He seemed to be in an even fouler mood than usual.  
  
"If there is another out break like yesterday, you can be sure I'll give the entire class detention. And if any of you, so much as look at either Mr. Malfoy or Mr. Potter, an automatic hundred points will be taken from your house, do I make myself clear?" he looked around the classroom and everyone nodded.  
  
"Now then, I'm sure you've all finished your essay on Polyjuice potions. I know we touched on it briefly last year, but now I feel you've reached an age where more can be expected of you, so you will be making it. Thomas, a hundred points from Gryffindor. Did I not make my point, earlier? Although, I warn you now, that use of this potion outside of this classroom is means for expulsion."  
  
Snape had the students get the ingredients and explained to them how'd it take about a month to brew, by then it'd be ready for their Spring mid-terms. They would try it out with their partners, and would only pass if the potion was successful. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all smiled at each other. This would be the easiest exam they'd had in Potions yet, and a small sense of relief was lifted off Harry. Now he just had to worry about how to survive until mid-terms.  
  



	17. Answers

Harry hadn't seen Dumbledore all month. He had to talk to him, but McGonagall kept finding excuses to keep him away from the headmaster. Harry was beginning to get irate about being left in the dark. Even Hermione and Ron didn't know what to say. A whole month had passed and everyone was still avoiding him and Malfoy like the plague. Harry avoided people back, while Malfoy began dishing out punishments to anyone who started to whisper or gave him looks. They hadn't heard anymore about Voldemort's plans, but the dementors still swarmed around the school. Quiddich had been cancelled, which left Ron and Harry nothing to free their minds about the upcoming Hogsmeade visit. They'd passed all their mid-terms. Snape had taken away points for Harry and Ron's Polyjuice potion, saying that it was done too well. He'd accused Hermione of helping them and detucted fifty points from each. Even so, they passed. Neville's had failed, due to Blaise Zabini slipping rat hairs into the mixture while he hadn't been paying attention. He was sent to Dumbledore to discuss his continuation in potions. Hermione suggested they used that opportunity to ask Neville if he'd seen anything unusual in Dumbledoor's study. They waited in the common room for him to come back. When he returned, he saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione waiting eagerly. He turned to go back out the portrait hole, but they caught him.  
  
"So? What happened?" Hermione asked him. He looked nervously at Harry.  
  
"I'm not working for Slytherin, Neville! Stop believing the rumors."  
  
"Then why were you with Malfoy? Everyone knows you supposedly hate each other."  
  
"He's working for us." Ron sat him down in one of the chairs.  
  
"How dumb to you think I am?"  
  
"Pretty dumb, if you believe that Harry of all people would be working for Voldemort." Neville flinched at Ron's response.  
  
"Sorry, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Think of all the things he's done over the past five years, why would he be working for him now, when he could've helped a dozen times before."  
  
"Why is Malfoy on our side then? Harry working for him is easier to believe than Malfoy working for us."  
  
"We still haven't quite figured that out yet. But Dumbledore won't see us to explain anything. We think he's hiding something from us. Did you see anything unusual?" said Hermione, with urgency in her voice. Neville paused for a moment and looked at all of them. He was quite defenseless, and there was nothing he could really do.  
  
"He had some other people in there with him when I went up. Important people. Your father was there, Ron. I don't know what they were talking about though. They stopped when I came in. Some of them I recognized from last year." he mumbled.  
  
"Well who were they?" Hermione sat down in the chair next to him.  
  
"Well there was one woman with really bright pink hair. Lupin was there and Moody. The other two I'd never seen before."  
  
"Tonks, Lupin, Moody, your father... they must be having a meeting!" Harry jumped up.  
  
"Why wouldn't they call on us?" Ron asked.  
  
"Was Snape there?"  
  
"Yes, he came up to talk with Dumbledore about my mid-term, but he stayed after I'd left. What's going on you guys?"  
  
"Nothing!" the three yelled in unison as they rushed out the portrait hole. They made it all the way to the statue, the farthest they'd gotten in a month, before being stopped by McGonagall.  
  
"What are you three doing? Dumbledore's far too busy right now. Run along." she stated, her lips pierced tightly. She'd had to tell them to "run along" at least twice everyday.  
  
"We have to see Professor Dumbledore. We know the Order is up there."  
  
"And they're busy Go!"  
  
"Peppermint snaps!"  
  
"Lemon drop!"  
  
"Cockroach Cluster!"  
  
"Pea soup!" they yelled, trying to break the password. McGonagall started shuffling them away from the statue.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor for each of you. I won't tell you three again!" they left, disappointed.  
  
"We have to figure a way up there, before everyone leaves." Harry stated as the headed back towards Gryffindor tower.  
  
"I know who's been seeing Dumbledore a lot lately." Hermione said, blushing a bit.  
  
"Who?" Ron stopped, dead in his tracks.  
  
"Why didn't you say anything before?" asked Harry, stopping as well.  
  
"Draco. I've seen him go up there a lot to talk to him."  
  
"Well didn't you bother to ask him what's going on?"  
  
"He won't talk to me. He's been avoiding me as much as possible." she replied. They looked at her with annoyance then headed off in the direction of the Slytherin common room.  
  
"They're not going to just let you guys waltz right in! We need to get the invisbility cloak. Honestly, you guys never think." she huffed and continued up the staircase to the Gryffindor common room. They ran to Harry's room and grabbed the cloak. Ron grabbed Hermione's arm and rushed her out with them.  
  
"I don't really feel like going." she whined.  
  
"Get over it, Hermione. Stop being such a...a-"  
  
"A what, Ron?"  
  
"A girl."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You don't want to see him, because you're upset that he won't talk to you."  
  
"Shut up, Ron. If he doesn't want to talk to me, it's just a relief."  
  
"You still fancy him!"  
  
"You guys, stop fighting. We need Malfoy's help. If he won't tell us what's going on, maybe he'll at least tell us the password." Harry remarked, stepping between them before anything else, besides words started flying. Hermione moved as far away from Ron as she could underneath the invibility cloak and they headed back to Slytherin. They walked behind Millicent Bulstrode through the portrait hole and entered the common room.  
  
"Where's the prefects room?" Ron whispered. Harry led them over to Prefect's common room and knocked on the door.  
  
"Who is it?" they heard him ask from inside. They heard him cross over to the door and opened it quickly with annoyance. They pushed past him and closed the door. Harry threw the cloak off.  
  
"Oh, if it isn't the dream team." he smirked.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us you were seeing Dumbledore? McGonagall won't even let us near him." Harry snapped.  
  
"For good reason too. Come on." he motioned for them to follow him to his room. He shut the door behind them, making sure that Millicent, who'd been elected the new Prefect Girl, hadn't come in and seen them.  
  
"Voldemort's first priority is you right now. That's why the dementors are still here. He's been seeing me, because I've been spying on the conversations going on in Slytherin, for information. No one trusts me, and won't talk to me directly, but I still hear what goes on."  
  
"Does he know what the viles were for?"  
  
"Just your average undetectable poison from what he could tell, rare ingredients though. Dumbledore's decided that his plan was to poison you."  
  
"Poison me? That seems so tactless."  
  
"Get you out of the way, Dumbledore's Golden Boy. Without you around, he'll be undefeatable. Then attack from the inside. He's already been recruiting the others in Slytherin. He wouln't have had to touch you to kill you. Pansy was going to do it."  
  
"Why hasn't Dumbledore done anything about it? Or even tell Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
"Because we're using them to get information, I already said that."  
  
"So he's going to let anyone walk up and kill Harry, during class?"  
  
"No, Weasel. God you're thick. The teacher's are watching over him in class, and wherever you go, Dumbledore knows. He didn't want to tell you, because he didn't want you to start freaking out and getting paranoid like that damn Moody. Said you had enough to deal with concerning mid-terms and March."  
  
"So his plan then is to still attack on the 12th?"  
  
"It seems so. Hey, you know Granger, I think that's the first thing you've said since you've been here? This room bring back memories?" he smirked. Ron went to hit him, but Harry held him back.  
  
"So has he told you anymore about what happened in the Chamber?" Harry asked, still struggling with Ron.  
  
"I'm done talking, you can go now." Malfoy opened the door. Harry threw the invisibility cloak over himself, Ron, and Hermione. Malfoy grabbed Hermione's arm.  
  
"Wait for me, I'll be out in a minute." she told them as Malfoy shut the door.  
  
"He has some nerve." Ron huffed. They huddled towards the wall to keep passing by Slytherin's from tripping on them and discovering they were there.  
  
"Would she hurry up?" Ron looked at his watch, irritably. It'd been a half hour. If they didn't get back to the Gryffindor common room soon, someone would notice they were gone. It was nearly curfew.  
  
Hermione and Malfoy came out about five minutes later. Harry knew what'd happened, and decided not to question her. They followed Malfoy back out to the Slytherin Common room. He was stopped by a third year who questioned where he was going after curfew. He deducted five points and told him not to question a Prefect's actions again, then opened the Portrait hole for the three friends to sneak back out. When they got back to their own Common room, Hermione had a huge smile on her face.  
  
"What are you so chipper about? Your boyfriend talking to you again?" Ron muttered.  
  
"No, and he's not my boyfriend. The thing his father wanted him to do was to gain Dumbledore's trust and attack him when he least expected it, by using the killing curse. He wouldn't do it because he knew that he would be caught. He doesn't like Dumbledore, but he knows his power. He didn't want to have anything to do with it, when he refused, his father backlashed at him. He wouldn't tell me how, but it was at that point he turned on his father. That's how all this got started, it happened during the summer. Then his father gave him the plan to use me instead to find out more, and he'd use someone else to attack Dumbledore. He says that his father tried to contact him again the night before the incident in the Chamber and he told Lucius that he'd make sure that he was the first to be disposed of when Voldemort fell. He also told me how he'd threatened Crabbe and Goyle that afternoon. They know what he's capable of. He thinks that's why Crabbe was having second thoughts, he was afraid of Malfoy."  
  
"So when Voldemort was trying to contact him... Lucius must've told him about what he'd said and knew that Malfoy was going to try and stop them."  
  
"His whole concern now is getting back at his father for everything he'd done to him as a child. You would've thought Draco would be his pride and joy, but he only spoiled him, thinking that he was going to whatever he wanted him to when it came time for Voldemort to take power. He manipulated his own son, not unlike he had the ministry." she continued.  
  
"So he's not really helping us against Voldemort. He's using us to get back at his father."  
  
"He's doing the one thing that would hurt his father the most. Even so, I still think we're pretty safe in trusting him."  
  
"How can you say that Hermione? You know that's probably the only reason he still puts up with you. What are we going to do once Lucius is done for? He'll have no interest in helping us, he might go back to the way he was before."  
  
"Fuck you, Ron." she shouted, then ran off to her room.  
  
"Did I say something?"  
  
"I think you might have went to far in saying that was the only reason he was with her."  
  
"It's the truth. He still talks bad about her and calls her mudbood all the time. You can't expect Malfoy to have true feelings for her. He's Malfoy."  
  
"Even if that's the case, she doesn't need to hear that from us. We're supposed to be her best friends." Harry pointed out. Ron turned pink, realizing what he'd just done. They went up to bed, but Harry couldn't sleep. He stayed up thinking about all that'd happened. The twelfth of March was just little over a month away, and he was still in the dark about how they were going to defend Hogwarts. 


	18. Ides of March

Dumbledore finally contacted Harry the day before the arranged Hogsmeade visit. A sense of relief washed over Harry as he walked from Divination to Dumbledore's study. He would finally get answers, not that Malfoy hadn't been helpful. Harry knew he'd feel more at ease once he spoke with Dumbledore. He and Ron had been trying to figure out what Voldemort might be planning to do and what The Order might do to prevent it. They'd come up with many theories, but still weren't quite sure.Hermione had quit speaking with the both of them. They wanted to hold an emergency DA meeting, but without Hermione, there wasn't anything they could teach or tell them. And it wasn't like anyone would really trust Harry anyway, they all still believed he was a murderer and a traitor. Furthermore, Harry had quit trusting people as well. He wouldn't eat his meals in The Great Hall. He didn't trust the food or the people around him. When he was hungry he'd sneak down into the kitchen to have Dobby fix him something. Dobby lately, had been the one person, aside from Ron, he'd been able to trust. But even so, Harry still wouldn't eat until he's throughly inspected the food for odd smells and discoloring. So Harry headed to Dumbledore's, hoping for some release from his self induced misery.  
  
"Harry, good come in. I'm rather sorry for not being able to see you over the couple months. I hope you're not too angry with me. I just else it was in your best interest to focus on schoolwork for a change." Dumbledore stopped pacing his office, and motioned for Harry to sit down at the desk.  
  
"How can I focus on schoolwork when my classmates are gawking at me and calling me 'murderer' and 'betrayer'?"  
  
"I'm sorry Harry. Perhaps I should've told you sooner. I hope you can forgive me."  
  
"Malfoy told me a lot, but refused to tell me everything. I want to know what's going on. How come he gets to know everything, and for the past two months, you've just been leaving me in the dark?" Harry asked, shortly.  
  
"Yes, I assumed he might tell you or Miss Granger. Well, Harry what has he told you?" Dumbledore sat down at his desk, and Harry sat across from him.  
  
"Pansy was going to poison me. You wouldn't talk to me because you were afraid of how I might react. He also speculates that Crabbe died because he was afraid of what Malfoy would do to him, because he'd threatened him before the incident." Harry replied. Dumbledore chuckled.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy sometimes has a high opinion of himself, not too unlike his father, I'm afraid. But no, Vincent Crabbe died because he could not complete his task. You could say he didn't have the intelligence that Voldemort had been hoping for. His father's a very loyal and faithful follower, he's Lucius' right hand man. When he didn't recieve what he'd sent out for, Voldemort showed no mercy. Although I do believe Draco had something to do with that. I don't think it was any more that the fact that he too did not deliver what was requested of him, and Voldemort has lost patience with underage wizards."  
  
"What's going to happen to Malfoy? I'm sure you know he used the killing curse on Pansy."  
  
"Yes, and I've spoken with him about it. What you should try and understand Harry, is that this year, Draco Malfoy is under a lot of stress. Unlike yourself, who has unfortunatly become accustomed to dealing with life threatening situations and changes, he has never had to deal with this sort of circumstance. He was only a year old when Voldemort was last defeated and his father had stood trial. Since then he's grown up thinking he could have whatever he wants and not have to deal with any consequences. It was how he was raised. He's now having to accept that his previous way of living was a bit skewed. Life has taken a very different turn for him, than he'd expected. He's learning to adjust. I don't condone his actions, I just merely understand them. I have discussed it with the ministry and he has been cleared of the charge. Although still a child, she was a supporter of Voldemort. She would have probably met a more gruesome end when this is all over." Dumbledore explained.  
  
"You know most, if not all over Slytherin are supporters of Voldemort. Why are you allowing them to remain in the school and put us all in danger?"  
  
"For two reasons, Harry. It keeps them away from Voldemort. Yes there are the occasional few who'll slip past, like Crabbe and Goyle. But it keeps a good number of his supporters out of his reach. It gives them a chance at being saved later. And also, we're getting a great deal of information from them. They're young, they like to talk. Draco has been kind enough to help us get that information."  
  
"What've you found out? About Voldemort's plans I mean."  
  
"Well a few of the students are to meet with death eaters in Hogsmeade, but they weren't told specifics. They all have their own theories of course. Some of the more trusted have been told to keep watch and observe the teacher's behaviors, find patterns in when they leave the classrooms and such. I've instructed the staff to mix up their schedules, as you might have noticed at dinner, they're not always there. The only information he'll have will be which class is in session at any given time."  
  
"Have you figured out what he plans to do? I mean, what if we cancel the Hogsmeade visit. It might mess with his plans."  
  
"As much as I would love to do that, for the safety of the students, it's too risky. He'll know we've found out. It must go on as scheduled, I'm afraid. We don't know whether or not he was testing Severus. He's been calling on him less frequently, and we're beginning to fear he might suspect the truth. This might be to prove his loyalty, and if we respond prematurly, his life may be at stake and so will our best insight into his plans. Lupin, Tonks, the Weasley brothers, and a few of our supporters from the ministry will be in Hogsmeade tomorrow, in case trouble arises."  
  
Harry sat there for awhile, registering everything he'd just heard. His stomach sank. There was no relief. Even Dumbledore didn't know what to expect. He excused himself and headed back towards Gryffindor tower. Ron was waiting for him in the common room.  
  
"So what's supposed to happen?" he jumped up as soon as he saw Harry coming through the portrait hole. Harry half wondered if he'd been jumping everytime anyone entered the common room. Ron's excitment faded when he saw the expression on Harry's face.  
  
"He doesn't know. Voldemort has left Snape out of it this time. They think it might be a trap to see if he's faithful or if he's helping Dumbledore." replied Harry.  
  
"So they're just going to leave that fifty percent chance open? we could be killed tomorrow."  
  
"They don't have much of a choice."  
  
"We have to tell Hermione!" Ron had seemed to forgotten all the tension and resentment that'd built up between the two of them.  
  
"I haven't seen her since Potions."  
  
"Me neither. She wasn't in the prefect rooms. She's probably in the library."  
The library seemed empty, aside from a few second year Hufflepuffs, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. They all looked up, and at noticing Harry, the second years left. Lavender and Parvati pushed their noses deeper in their books. Ron and Harry searched the isles of books. Dean Thomas saw them and quickly scurried to a different isle. They heard a familiar voice coming from the back. They peered through the books.  
  
"Draco, no I can't. Not tonight. I really have to study." Hermione giggled. Malfoy kissed down her neck. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionatly. Ron, trying to get a better look, caused a whole cluster of books to come crashing down. Hermione and Malfoy quickly jumped apart. Hermione wlaked over to Ron and Harry.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" she questioned the bright red Ron and stuttering Harry.  
  
"W-We were just trying to find you."  
  
"Just wanted a little peep show, eh Potter? Not getting enough from the female Weasley?" Malfoy stepped in with a smirk. Hermione hit him lightly. She went over and helped Ron off the floor. They all went over to a table to talk.  
  
"Now what's going on? I mean, if you haven't noticed you two aren't my most favorite people at the moment."  
  
"Yeah, that's because you forgot what a decent person was like." Ron retaliated, glaring at Malfoy. He didn't like the remark about his sister. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Is this important?"  
  
"Yes." Harry and Ron said at the same time. Harry then realized there probably wasn't anything she already knew. If she'd been communicating with Malfoy, she probably knew everything he did. Ron realized this too and turned pink.  
  
"Well."  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
"Well you've wasted plenty of my time, I have an essay to write, now if you'll excuse me." she huffed and got up. Malfoy got up to follow her.  
  
"This means you too." she added, leaving him there and returning to the books. He scowled at Ron and Harry for inturrupting them previously, then left the library.  
  
"That went well."  
  
"We're stupid." Ron commented. They stood up and headed towards the door. Lavender and Parvti jumped in front of them.  
  
"Is it true that Hermione is with Malfoy?" Lavender asked.  
  
"She's been spending an aweful lot of time with him outside of those supposed tutoring sessions." Parvati added.  
  
"How should we know?"  
  
"Well you are her best friends. Are all three of you working for Slytherin?" Parvati smirked.  
  
"We're not working for Slytherin, and I have a feeling that it was one of you two that started that rumor to begin with. Excuse us, we have to get to The Great Hall."  
  
"We didn't start that rumor. We don't even believe it. It's just... it seems weird that every time something happens at this school, it has to do with you, Harry." Lavender held him back.  
  
"I didn't ask for any of this."  
  
"But you have to admit, it's odd. Nothing like this has ever happened in the history of Hogwarts. Then the infamous Harry Potter comes to school, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returns, and the school is turned into a hiatus. You can't expect people not to talk. Especially when you start spending time with Gryffindor's worst enemy." Parvati pointed out.  
  
"Maybe you two should mind your own business for once. Harry's trying to help. If you want to do any good, spread rumors about that." Ron stated and pulled Harry along with him past the girls and out the door.  
  
The next morning, Harry's stomach ache hurt worse than ever. He didn't want to go to Hogsmeade, but he knew that he had to. If he didn't and something happened, he'd blame himself. He went to Ron's room and woke him up. He went back down to the common room to wait for Ron to get ready. Hermione appeared, but she didn't even look at him.  
  
"Hermione. Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, trying to break the silence.  
  
"Of course. I assume you two will be staying here to protect the school, and try to play hero?"  
  
"No, we're going. Um... do you want to meet at The Three Broomsticks?"  
  
"Not really, I've got things to do. I need to pick up some new potion ingredients. My supply is running low."  
  
"I don't know why you're mad at me. It was Ron who said it."  
  
"Yeah, but you tend to take his side in these matters. I know your true feelings Harry. I know you still hate Draco, and I'm really not in the mood to hear you two talk about how he's using me."  
  
"What if we promise to not even mention Malfoy?"  
  
"That might be fine for you, but Ron'll bring him up in a second."  
  
"I'll talk to him. We can't keep fighting Hermione. We need to be on the same side here. Especially today. If there's more of us together, it's less likely all of us will be hurt. Bring Malfoy too if you wish."  
  
"He's staying here with Snape. Yeah, I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks, just let me get my supplies first, okay?" she finally gave him. He smiled at her, which she returned. She grabbed her books that she'd left there the previous evening, and went back to her room. Ron came down and they headed out to Hogsmeade.  
  
Nothing looked unusual. Everyone in town was going about their usual business. There were no Death Marks, anyone in trouble. Harry's nerves were on end. Every noise he heard caught his attention. He and Ron went into Honeydukes to buy Chocolate Frogs, then headed over to the Three Broomsticks. Lupin was there talking with Tonks. They smiled at Harry and Ron, but didn't stop by the table. If there were any Death Eaters about, they didn't want to make a scene or let them in on anything. Harry waved at them, then sat down with Ron.  
  
"Have you seen anything strange?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head. He thought he saw someone he'd recognized, but it turned to be an old hag trying to sell Dragon scales on the street. They were there a half hour and there was still no sign of Hermione.  
  
"She should be here by now." Harry looked at his watch.  
  
"She probably stayed behind to keep Malfoy company." Ron grimaced. Harry shook his head.  
  
"No, she needed to get some supplies. She said she'd be here. It's not like Mione to not keep her word."  
  
They decided to head over to the Alchemist's shop. As soon as they left the The Three Broomsticks they heard a high pitched scream. It's started. Harry thought to himself.  
  
"Let go of me!" the voice screamed.  
  
"Hermione!" exclaimed both Harry and Ron.  



	19. Return of DA

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron ran as fast as their feet would take them to the Alchemist's shop. Hermione was struggling under the grasps of two death eaters, as onlookers watched with fear. A few people started screaming and running to safety in the doors of the shops. One after another, the shops closed their doors, fearful of being targeted next. Lupin and Tonks had caught up with Harry and Ron and advanced on the Death Eaters.  
  
"Crucio!" yelled one Death Eater as the spell hit Tonks sending her into convulsions on the ground. Harry recognized the voice of Lucius Malfoy. Screams came from behind them. Other death eaters had joined and were taking over shops. Harry noticed Percy dueling with one, unsure of who was winning. He and Ron jumped in with Lupin and started casting random jinxes and hexes. A dementor came rushing towards them.  
  
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled. His stag emerged from the end of his wand, but it seemed to have little effect, as Harry wasn't being targeted. He was still too far away from Hermione. And within moments, Hermione collapsed out of the arms of the Death Eater which held her, and laid motionless on the ground. Harry noticed several other students being cornered and trapped by Dementors. Those who were able to defend themselves with Patronuses, were grabbed by Death Eaters.  
  
"Harry! Help!" yelled Cho Chang from his left. But before he was able to do anything, his scar began to seer and he fell. He slipped back into a familiar darkness, all noise around him ceased.  
  
When Harry awoke he was on one of the tables in the Three Broomsticks. Lupin and Ron hovered over him. Madam Rosmerta brought him over a butterbeer. He sat up.  
  
"What happened? Where's Hermione? Is she okay?" he looked frantically around for her.  
  
"They've taken her captive along with twelve other students." informed Lupin, handing him a chunk of chocolate. Harry ate it slowly, blaming himself. If only they'd gone looking for Hermione sooner.  
  
"We need to get you back to Hogwarts."  
  
"Where's Tonks? Is she okay?"  
  
"She'll be fine, She's helping Percy and the rest take the students back to Hogwarts. Ginny was taken though." Ron replied. He helped Harry off the table. He thanked Madam Rosmerta, who smiled weakly in reply. Harry looked up and noticed the Dark Mark looming over several of the shops. Ministry Officials were questioning shaken people about what'd just happened.  
  
They arrived back at Hogwarts. Harry noted that there was fewer Dementors looming around, but still enough to turn his blood cold. Dark rain clouds hung over the castle, ready to burst rain at any given moment. It'd been clear and sunny when they'd left just a few hours early to go to Hogsmeade. Instead of rushing Harry to Madame Pomfrey, Lupin led him and Ron to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Harry, Ron, good, come in."  
  
"What's going on? Where are they?" Harry demanded, though too weak to yell loud as he would've liked.  
  
"We have yet to know their where-abouts. Azkaban is being checked again, but it's highly unlikely he'll have taken them there. I'm sorry, Harry."  
  
"She could be dead!"  
  
"Voldemort has called on Snape, and the moment I find out anything I will let you know. But as for now, I have a favor to ask of you. It seems that you have insight into what goes on when it's in relation to students in the school, through your dreams. Dreams can be a very powerful thing, as I've stated before. I would like you to start tutoring with Professor Trawlaney starting tomorrow. I've informed your teachers that you shall be excused from classes this week." Dumbledore continued, before Harry could protest.  
  
"I know that Sybill is a bit odd, and you've had falling outs with Divination before. Even stretching your homework to please her. But this is a serious matter, I ask that you be open and honest with her. You might be a more valuable resource than Severus at this point, as we don't know what to expect when he gets back."  
  
Harry nodded. He hadn't seen Dumbledore this upset and nervous before. He watched as his mentor paced the room, deep in thought.  
  
"Oh! That is all Harry, if you'll excuse me I must talk with Remus about something." He smiled, noticing Harry still standing there. He headed out with Ron, who didn't say anything until they were well out of reach.  
  
"Harry... did Dumbledore seem a bit off to you?"  
  
"Yes. I think he's scared, Ron. I think he might be just as clueless as were at this point. Voldemort's gotten good at hiding his plans. I have a crazy idea, I don't know if many people will go for it. But I think maybe we should try and get DA back together. "  
  
Before Ron had time to respond, Malfoy showed up with a sneer on his face. Harry knew this expression far too well. He kept his hand on his wand in his pocket, just in case.  
  
"Where is she? What happened? No one will say anything. Everyone in Slytherin has lost it, and none of them are talking." he pushed Harry against the wall.  
  
"She was taken by your father." Harry replied. Professor McGonagall came down the hall.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy would you let go of Mr. Potter. The three of you are to get to the Great Hall immediately. Dinner is being served." she stated, piercingly and walked past them. Malfoy let go of Harry, roughly.  
  
"What's up your ass now?" Ron asked.  
  
"Did anything happen here, while we were in Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, ignoring Ron's remark, hoping that interferring would allow Malfoy to do the same.  
  
"No." he said, shortly. They didn't talk the rest of the way to the Great Hall. Harry and Ron sat down by themselves. The Great Hall was buzzing with whispers and gossip. Harry tried to figure out who'd been taken. The whole school was in so much of a hiatus though, with everyone moving around. Dumbledore came in, and silenced everyone.  
  
"A sad thing has happened today. Thirteen of our students have been taken captive. I ask that everyone remain calm. The situation is under control. Those of you who's parents request you return home, shall. The rest of you, I hope would remain here. Hogwarts isn't under attack yet, but the future is quite unknown. Dark times are upon us once again, and it's just started. I once again ask that you all remain united. Do not turn on one another. There is an old saying that goes: One ant can carry a leaf, the whole colony can carry the tree. The stronger we are, the harder it'll be for anyone to break that bond. The annual house competition has been cancelled. The animosity between the houses it too great. Quiddich too will also continue to be postponed until further notice."  
  
Harry and Ron slumped in their chairs. Harry noticed most of the school had as well. It was their escape, and there didn't seem to be any hope of it any time soon. Dumbledore continued on.  
  
"I ask that none of you think of the others as a Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, or Slytherins, but as others united by the same bond. It is a necessity at this point."  
  
"Yeah, but has he noticed that every house had people taken except Slytherin? He can't expect us to consider them an equal or even to trust them." muttered Seamus Finnigan, then stared at Harry and Ron. Others at the table nodded in agreeance. Harry pretended he hadn't caught this and tried to focus on what Dumbledore was saying.  
  
"I hope that you all will think upon this. As an extra measure of precaution, you are all to remain inside the castle at all times. The courtyard's are forbidden. You are to go to your classes and back to your house. I hope that those of you studying for your OWLs and NEWTs will make use of this time to prepare. Anymore news, and I'll shall let you know about it. With that, you may all begin to eat. I've carried on far too long." he smiled at the students then took his place at the staff table.  
  
"So, DA tonight then?" Ron asked Harry, who nodded.  
  
"Think we should invite Malfoy?"  
  
"Are you kidding me? If people are even willing to come, the last thing they'll want to see there is King of Slytherin. It'll just confirm what they already believe."  
  
"Still though, he's powerful. He is on our side, and he can help teach us things that neither of us know against Death Eaters, because he was trained to be one."  
  
"You assume he'll be willing to teach."  
  
"It's worth a shot." stated Harry as he pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill.  
  
He wrote a note to Malfoy to meet him in the Room of Requirements a quarter past midnite. He waited until he saw Malfoy finish eating and stood up to leave. He poked Ron and they got up as well. He slipped it to Malfoy as they passed him in the hall, then hurried up to their room. He went digging through his belongings looking for the fake coin which called all the DA members. He changed the numbers to read that night, half past midnite. They stayed up finishing their Potion's essay and then headed out to the Room of Requirement at midnite.  
  
"Do you think he'll show?" Ron asked, looking at the clock. It was nearly twelve twenty-five. Harry didn't have to answer though. Malfoy opened the door and checked behind him to make sure he hadn't been followed.  
  
"What's this about, Potter?" but it wasn't with his usual snappiness. He sounded tired.  
  
Ron nudged Harry. He'd wanted Malfoy's help, but now he didn't know how to ask for it. He was running out of time. He heard voices coming down the hallway, the rest of DA was coming.  
  
"Last year, a bunch of us started a group against Umbridge and you lot. We weren't allowed to practice against the Dark Arts, so we developed our own group to practice in case we needed it to protect Hogwarts. Hermione was in charge of figuring out new things to learn, and I taught them. We wanted your help, because you know more about the Dark Arts... than I do." He had a hard time admitting that Malfoy was better at him then something. Malfoy's smirk didn't make it easier.  
  
"So you're admitting that I'm better than you, finally. The tables have certainly turned."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Just, will you help?"  
  
"Maybe. What's in it for me?"  
  
"Hermione back." Ron growled.  
  
"What makes you think I even want her back? Those aren't good terms."  
  
"What do you want, Malfoy?"  
  
"Next Quiddich match against Slytherin, lose on purpose."  
  
"Hey! That's not fair!"  
  
"Those are my terms." Malfoy sat down in a chair. The door opened and a few people started coming in.  
  
"Fine." Harry said, coolly.  
  
"What's he doing here?" Dean Thomas grunted, staring at Malfoy.  
  
"I'm your new teacher. Seems as if The Golden Boy doesn't know everything, and begged for my assistance." Malfoy replied.  
  
Harry looked around at who'd showed up. There were only five others. Dean Thomas, Lavender, Parvati, Neville, and Luna Lovegood all stood there.  
  
"So this is it then? This is all of you who can actually decipher between truth and rumor?" Harry was annoyed.  
  
"I don't know about that, Harry. I didn't believe it at first, but why is Malfoy here? Doesn't sound much like a rumor, now does it?" Lavender stated.  
  
"If we were on Voldemort's side, don't you think that Hermione would be here too? None of the Slytherin's were taken." Ron shot back.  
  
"He's on our side. He's going to help us. Hopefully after this you all will be able to convince the others." Harry told them.  
  
"Not only that, Harry. All thirteen people that were taken were in DA." Dean Thomas pointed out. There were a few whispers, but they got silent again when Harry stood up.  
  
"Well, I figured we might as well start training again because we don't know when Voldemort will attack again." the whole room cringed. He wish people would stop acting that way everytime the name was mentioned.  
  
"We need to be fully prepared to fight against the Death Eaters. He's here because he's trained as a Death Eater. He knows how they think and the curses they use. He can teach you how to fight them better than I can." Harry explained.  
  
"So what do you know?" he asked, in a bored drawl. No one spoke up.  
  
"Why don't you teach them how to fight the Imperius curse."  
  
"Moody taught that." Malfoy reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, but he didn't teach it well. Harry was one of the only ones in our class that could actually fight against it." Ron told him.  
  
"Very well then." Malfoy sighed and faced his students.  
  
"We'll skip the lecture. Basically just focus all thoughts out of your head and resist with your mind. I'm gonna try it on you, and you just keep telling me no, focus on how badly you don't want me to have control on you. Should be easy. Who wants to go first?" he smirked. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, but no one volunteered.  
  
"Why don't you try it out on me first. As an example." Harry stated, stepping forward. The both of them moved to the open space in the classroom, and took dueling positions. Harry's stomach knotted. Last time he'd been in a real duel with Malfoy, he'd been taken off guard. He wasn't going to allow that to happen again.  
  
"Ready?" Malfoy yawned. Harry nodded. Malfoy pulled out his wand and pointed it at him.  
  
"Imperio!" he shouted. Harry felt the familiar sensation of his mind being cleared away. He stared at Malfoy, focusing on him, allowing himself to remember how much hatred he had towards him.  
  
"Get on your knees and bark like a dog." he heard Malfoy's voice in his head.  
  
"No." his mind fought back. the voices fought back and forth through his head. His feet remained planted on the floor, in standing position.  
  
"You should see what Granger looks like on her knees." the demanded voice echoed. That set Harry off. He didn't know what'd happened, but when he shook off the curse, Malfoy was on the ground clutching his side in pain. He got up and sneered at Harry, but it faded away.  
  
"You did okay." he said, flatly. Dean Thomas volunteered next.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked in whisper.  
  
"One moment the two of you are standing there deep in thought, then the next you've hit him with a Stunning Spell." Ron explained.  
  
They watched as Malfoy easily took control over Dean's mind and had him clucking like a chicken. Everyone giggled except Malfoy, who was annoyed.  
  
"You're not trying hard enough! You have to focus!" he snapped as Dean came out of it. They practiced into the early morning. By the time the sun was coming up, everyone had a good handle on how to block the Imperius curse.  
  
"We better wrap things up, the school'll be waking up soon. We'll meet again next weekend, same time." Harry stated as Parvati proudly resisted Malfoy. Everyone nodded in agreement and left the Room of Requirement.  
  
"Thank you." Harry forced himself to say as he and Malfoy were the last to leave the classroom.  
  
"Your resistance could use a bit of practice." was all he replied as he headed off towards the Slytherin Common room.  
  
"Do you think more people'll show up next time?"  
  
"I hope so, great army we have with eight people." Harry replied to Ron as they got back to Gryffindor tower. Harry was tired, but he couldn't sleep. He had to go to the Divination classroom in a half hour. This was the first time he allowed himself to think about this afternoon. He hoped that those taken captive were okay. He still held himself responsible. He should've talked Hermione out of going. She would've been safer at the castle. He was mad at Dumbledore for not cancelling the Hogsmeade visit and coming up with a cover story. With that on his mind, he began to drift off into a sleep.  
  
Hermione huddled close to Ginny. They weren't in a dungeon or a prison. On the contrary, they were in a lavishly decorated room. A fire was burning bright in it grate at the fireplace. Cho Chang was pounding on a large oak door, begging to be let out. Hannah Abbott was pacing talking to herself about how stupid she was for going to Hodsmeade that day, and how she should've stayed at the castle with Ernie. Ashlee Johnson, Angelina's younger sister was talking with Katie Bell. They were crouched by the fire. Lisa Turpin and Padma Partil were still unconscious on the floor. The fire went out, and the room got cold. The door to the room opened, pushing Cho Chang to the floor. Two men followed by Lucius Malfoy entered. He smiled at all of them, wickedly. His smile faded as he laid his eyes on Hermione. He walked over to her.  
  
"Miss Granger." he smirked. Goosebumps prickled up Hermione's neck and arms. He had the same smirk as his son. She looked coldly into his eyes.  
  
"As I have personal interest in your connection with my son, I will be dealing with your fate. As for the rest of you, I leave you in the hands of my comrades." he said. The other two men stepped further into the room. One of them grabbed Cho Chang and the other grabbed Hannah Abbott.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Hermione snapped as Lucius grabbed her arm. Lucius turned on her.  
  
"Crucio!"  
Hermione fell to the floor in pain. Tears started to stream down her eyes. Suddenly Harry was woken up by Professor McGonagall.  
  
"It's best you get up. You're going to be late for Professor Trewlaney." she informed him, and followed him out of the Common Room. 


	20. Sopor Venenum

Harry dragged himself to the North Tower, wishing more than anything that he was back in his own bed. He was tired, but more than that he wanted to know what was happening to Hermione. His scar ached along with his entire body, and he still wasn't quite sure that Professor Trelawney was going to be any help to him concerning his dreams. She was under the false pretense that he was actually good at Divination, and he had it in his mind that if he just told her he saw himself dying, that the lessons might be over quicker. But Dumbledore had said for him to be honest, and he trusted Trelawney. He'd know if Harry was lying. The sooner this week was over the better, he thought to himself as he climbed the steps up to the Divination classroom.  
  
Professor Trelawney was already waiting for him. In front of her lay one of her copies of The Dream Oracle. All the windows were pulled shut and hidden behind their curtains, making the smell of the incense and perfumes even stronger. Harry became light headed upon entering the classroom. None of the lamps were lit. Instead tiny candles hung midair all over the room. A space had been cleared in the room leaving only a single cushioned chair and a matching foot stool. Trelawney smiled at Harry and motioned for him to come in and have a seat.  
  
"Welcome, Harry. Come and have a seat. We will begin shortly. I have cancelled my classes for this week, feeling that this is of more importance at the moment. So we will have no interruptions."  
  
Harry sat himself down and felt the tension in his body decrease. The looming scent was making him extremely drowsy. Dumbledore had failed to mention how long each session would last. He'd figured he'd go in, tell Trelawney his dreams and be sent back to his room to have more. He didn't fancy having to stay in the classroom all day. He watched as Professor Trelawney wrote something down on a bit of parchment. She then looked him over with a "tut tut" in her voice.  
  
"Dear me..."  
  
"If it has to do with my untimely demise, I'd prefer not to hear it right now. If that's okay?" he told her, politely.  
  
"No, no. You've just got lots of troubles ahead of you, my boy. You've seen too much for your age. It's just a pity that's all." she replied softly and took her place back at her desk. She was silent again for awhile. Harry was having to concentrate on not falling asleep. It was becoming harder to do.  
  
"So tell me about your dreams. Dumbledore has told me that you've been seeing prophecies for a few years now."  
  
"They're not prophecies. I see them as they're happening."  
  
"Yes, he explained how last year you saw your friend Ron's father when he was attacked. If it hadn't been for you, he would've died. You have an excellent gift, Harry."  
  
"I wouldn't consider it a gift." Harry muttered, and shifted in seat. She seemed to have not heard this and continued on.  
  
"Have you had any recently?"  
  
"One a few months back when my friend Hermione Granger and the Slytherin prefect Draco Malfoy were taken captive. And one this morning... Lucius Malfoy is keeping the girls that were taken in one room. I suppose he has the boys in another." he replied. She didn't say anything, just watched him carefully. Then as if suddenly snapped out of a trance said,  
  
"Good! Then let's try and get back to them. I'm going to give you this potion. It's called iSopor Venenum/i. It will put you in a deep sleep, you should be able to go back to your last dream and continue on. You won't notice it, but you'll be relaying everything back to me that you see. I have to warn you that once it wears off, it won't be pleasant, but hopefully we'll be able to get far before that happens."  
  
She handed Harry a vile of liquid. It looked a lot like what Mrs. Weasley had given Malfoy when they'd gotten to King's Cross over Christmas Holiday. He opened the cork and drank it down. It made his stomach burn and the taste almost made him retch, but soon he found himself drifting off to a welcome sleep.  
  
Harry seemed to have been transported from the Divination's room to some sort of mansion. At least that's what it seemed like to him. Sunlight tried to break through the moth eaten curtains covering the tall victorian windows of the den he was apparently in. The fire in the grate was gradually dying and the embers glowed bright. Harry jumped as the doors slammed open. Lucius Malfoy dragged Hermione into the room. The doors slammed again. He shoved her aside. He seemed to be trying to search her mind.  
  
"I see you and my son have been trained well. I figured this. No matter, I'll get what I want out of you." he stated dryly. Harry figured that Hermione had blocked Lucius out of her mind.  
  
"If I wouldn't tell Draco anything, what makes you think I'll open up to you."  
  
"Talking out of line, won't help your situation." he performed the Cruciatus Curse on her again. Her nose began to bleed.  
  
"Veritaserum will get you to speak." he grabbed her and forced the potion down her mouth. She bit him.  
  
"Stupid bitch!" he slapped her across the face, knocking her back down to the ground. She spit the potion back at him.  
  
"I'm not telling you anything." she repeated.  
  
"You'll answer my questions or die." he pointed his wand at her.  
  
"You're going to kill me anyway." he smiled at her words.  
  
"Eventually, yes. I see why Draco could be attracted to you. Your ego and power would've served you well in Slytherin, if it weren't for your dirty blood and Gryffindor pride. Not to mentioned you're undoubtably the most attractive witch at that filth ridden school."  
  
"Listing off my qualites isn't going to work. Your son tried that already. If you're going to kill me, get it over with." she snapped. He smirked at her.  
  
"What are Harry Potter's weaknesses?" he asked, casually. Hermione was unable to keep herself from answering. The potion had worked.  
  
"His parents and friends." she clasped her hands over her mouth.  
  
'Magically?"  
  
"He's never done particularly well in potions or transfiguration. He's still weak in Occlumency." she covered her mouth again, tears were beginning to form in her eyes. Lucius' smirk stretched out to an evil grin.  
  
"What the password for Gryffindor?"  
  
"Neptunis." she squeaked. Lucius Malfoy left the room, quite pleased, leaving Hermione there alone.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Harry." she whimpered. Harry needed to wake up. He had to tell Dumbledore, but his body wouldn't cooperate. He felt himself being pulled somewhere else. He was back in the room where the girls were being held captive. There were only five left. Where Cho and Hannah were he still didn't know. Padma Partil and Lisa Turpin remained lifeless in the same place Harry had last seen them. Ginny was crying. Harry walked over to Padma. It took him a few seconds to register the inevitable truth. She was dead. So was Lisa. He moved away from them, quickly.  
  
"Harry will save us. He always comes." Ginny sobbed. Katie Bell was comforting her. He touched Ginny on the shoulder. She jumped and looked back, bewildered. Harry jumped too. Could she see him?  
  
"What's wrong?" Katie asked.  
  
"Nothing, I felt something. This place is giving me the creeps!" Harry felt something tug at his insides. He felt like he was going to throw up, he was hurtling through darkness, making him dizzy. He opened his eyes. The smell of the Divination's classroom hit his nose. He sneezed.  
  
"Gazoontike." he heard. He saw Dumbledore coming through the trapdoor into the classroom.  
  
"Hermione-"  
  
"Yes, I know Harry. Sybill has told me everything. I've asked Mr. Weasley to change the password to the Gryffindor common room."  
  
"Why am I awake? I need to go back there. Ginny knows I was there."  
  
"No, she just felt your presence. She, herself, is a remarkable witch, though she has yet to discover it. And I think you've had enough for today. It's nearly time for dinner."  
  
"Dinner? Have I really been out that long?"  
  
"Yes, we were beginning to worry when you didn't wake up hours ago. But you're fine now. Hurry along, there are a few things I need to discuss with Professor Trelawney."  
  
Harry got up but could barely walk. Despite sleeping all day, he felt worse than he had that morning. He wasn't hungry, but he felt he better make an appearance. He walked into the Great Hall and sat down next to Ron.  
  
"Hov vit fo" Ron asked, with his mouth full of food. Harry looked at him oddly.  
  
"How did it go?" he asked again, once he'd swallowed.  
  
"Hermione's told Lucius about my weakness and how to get into the common room."  
  
"Yeah, Dumbledore sent me a letter today in potions. Malfoy kept sending me questioning looks, but got in trouble with McGonagall for trying to pass me a note. She's subbing for Snape. Is 'Mione okay?"  
  
"For now, I think she is. I don't know what happened after I left. I have to talk to Malfoy. Where is he?"  
  
"I don't know, he hasn't shown up. Maybe he's in his room?"  
  
Harry didn't hear the last thing Ron had said, he'd jumped up immediatly and went out to find Malfoy. He didn't have to look far. He found him scaring a first year.  
  
"What are you doing snooping around here?" he snarled, backing the first year into the wall.  
  
"Malfoy, let him go." Harry shouted down the hall way. This caught him off guard, and the first year snuck past him and went running past Harry.  
  
"Where've you been all day?"  
  
"Working for Dumbledore. I have a question. Does your family own any other property besides the mansion? Any place the ministry might not know about?"  
"Yeah, of course. We have a place up in Manchester. I doubt the ministry knows about it. I've never been there. My father wouldn't allow me."  
  
"Have you told Dumbledore about it?"  
  
"He's never asked. I'm not even sure if we own it anymore. He hasn't spoken of it in years."  
  
"I think that's where he's keeping them. I recognized a lot of the objects from the Black house before we cleaned it out."  
  
"I think my aunt might've been staying there for awhile. But that was at least four years ago."  
  
"Which aunt?"  
  
"Aunt Bellatrix. She was always my favorite." he replied. He looked at Harry with confusion. Harry felt his face burn. Hatred swelled up in him, he wanted to hit Malfoy, but it wasn't his fault. He didn't know anything about what'd happened the previous year except that his father wasn't taken in, along with his aunt and the others.  
  
"What's your problem, Potter?" Malfoy pulled out his wand and stepped back slightly.  
  
"She killed Sirius." he managed to mutter. His throat was caught. He hadn't really thought about Sirius since they'd gotten back from Christmas Holiday, and it still panged him. Malfoy smirked.  
  
"Yeah, she always had a bit of a temper. He probably got what he deserved though."  
  
There was a huge BANG. Harry looked down to see Malfoy on the floor clutching his arm. He didn't bother to stick around for Malfoy's retaliation, he headed straight to Dumbledore's office. He met Dumbledore half way and told him about his conversation with Malfoy.  
  
"Yes, we've considered that. I've already sent Mad Eye and a few others out to Manchester to check it out. It'll be a day or so till we hear back from them. We're working as hard as we can to get them all back safely, with no more casualties. You look like you could use some rest. If you have any dreams tonight, be sure to record them and discuss them with Professor Trelawney in the morning. If you excuse me, I have a delightful pudding pie to attend to in my office." Dumbledore smiled and patted Harry on the shoulder.  
  
Ron was already in the common room when he returned to Gryffindor Tower. He told him about the dream, about Ginny sensing him, and his conversation with both Malfoy and Dumbledore.  
  
"Stupid git, you'd think he would've mentioned something by now. Glad you got him."  
  
"Malfoy still doesn't realize the importance of some of the information he has. I say Dumbledore should just sit him down and empty out his brain. He'd be more useful that way."  
  
"I really hope Hermione's okay."  
  
"You know Ron... I think we should go and get her. There's still no word from Snape, the order doesn't know where to look for this secret home. I've seen it, I don't know where exactly. Malfoy said it was in Manchester, but if I saw it I'd recognize it."  
  
"Manchester's huge, Harry. Where will we know where to look? And how are just the two of us going to fight off the Death Eaters and Dementors. We weren't able to in Hogsmeade."  
  
"Not just us, Ron, DA."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure no one will notice all of us missing. Dumbledore won't allow it."  
  
"We'll have to sneak out. Tomorrow night, let's call the group together again. I guess I should apoligize to Malfoy for hitting him... we need him."  
  
"I really don't know about this... I could lose my prefects-"  
  
"Do you want to get Hermione back?"  
  
"Yes. Fine." Ron finally gave in. They went to bed. But before going to sleep, Harry pulled out his coin and changed the information to tomorrow night, after midnite. He knew the idea was crazy, but he had to do something. If another couple of days passed, they could all be dead. He fell asleep as soon as he hit the pillow, but was too exhausted to dream.  



	21. Nine Students, a Cloak, & a Lie

Harry woke up the next morning feeling slightly better. That was until he remembered what he and Ron had decided to do the previous night. His heart and stomach sunk. How were eight students supposed to sneak out of Hogwarts, when it was so heavily guarded by the staff? Even if they did manage to get to Manchester without being caught, how would they defeat Death Eaters and Dementors with such a small number? Last night he wanted to save Hermione so bad he hadn't even thought how to go about doing that, without consequences. He tried to imagine what Hermione would say if she was there. She'd call him reckless and lecture him about not letting Dumbledore deal with it. But she wasn't there, and this was the problem. He got dressed, then made his way to the common room. Neville Longbottom rushed over to him.  
  
"Meeting tonight then?"  
  
"Er.. yes." Harry replied.  
  
His stomach jumped again. Neville smiled excitedly as Harry pushed past him. He only had a half hour to make an appearance at breakfast then get to the Divination classroom. He was deep in thought and wasn't paying attention to where he was going and slammed into the door leading to the Great Hall.  
  
"Nice one, Potter!" Malfoy called from down the hall. A couple Slytherin's making their way to breakfast snickered. Harry rubbed his head, which stung from the impact. He picked himself up as Malfoy caught up with him.  
  
"Er.. I'm sorry about yesterday. Tonight we're meeting again in the Room of Requirement."  
  
"Huh. I don't feel like it." he smirked.  
  
"We need you. I can't explain right now."  
  
"Well why should I risk getting caught after curfew, when I don't know whether or not it's worth it."  
  
"We're going to save Hermione. If you care about her as much as she thinks you do, you'll be there." Harry whispered, trying not to hit Malfoy for his cockiness. He joined Ron at the Gryffindor table, throwing his stuff down, agitated.  
  
"Everyone said they'd be there tonight." Ron informed and started filling his plate.  
  
Harry didn't want to tell Ron about his doubts or let on that he had absolutely no idea about how they were going to get out of Hogwarts. He ate a piece of toast then headed up to the North Tower for his session with Professor Trelawney. When he entered the classroom, he noted immediatly that there were no candles or heavily perfumed incense burning. Anyone could mistake it for an ordinary classroom with cushions instead of chairs. Trelawney was at her desk scribbling something in an old worn notebook. She noticed Harry coming in, and smiled.  
  
"Not today, dear. Professor Snape has returned. The staff is to go to a meeting. You're free for the day. You can return to your dormitory. I'll see you tomorrow morning." she informed him, then went back to writing.  
  
This suited Harry just fine. He went back out the trapdoor and descended the stairs of the North Tower. Ron came running over to him. He had to catch his breath before speaking.  
  
"Snape! He's back!" he huffed.  
  
"So I've heard. Any word yet on what he knows?"  
  
"I overheard him talking to McGonagall. They're using Hermione, Ginny, and everyone as bait. If Dumbledore doesn't hand you over in a week, they'll kill them all."  
  
"So we have five days. We'll have to leave tonight."  
  
"Have you thought of how we're going to slip past all the professors without being caught?"  
  
"Not exactly, no. Hey wait... the secret passage!" Harry jumped with enthusiasm. It was as easy as that.  
  
"What passage, again?"  
  
"We can use the Marauder's map. When the coast is clear, I can sneak people into the tunnel that leads to the basement of Honeydukes. From Hogsmeade, we can take the Knight Bus to Manchester. I'm sure Malfoy'll be able to tell us what city it's in. We could be there by tomorrow morning... afternoon at the latest. We have to inform everyone to wear dark clothing tonight. Tell them we'll explain everything tonight at the meeting. I'll go find Malfoy and explain it all to him. I couldn't earlier. We need to make sure he'll help us first. Tell Neville, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati. I'll find Luna after I talk to Malfoy." Harry rushed off in the opposite direction of Ron.  
  
Harry met back up with Ron, an hour later, in the common room. After confirming that everyone knew, Harry collapsed in the old beaten chair next to Ron. He helped him work on his Protean Charm for Professor Flitwick. They were both way behind again, and without Hermione around to help, Ron couldn't remember even the simplest charms. They worked on it until the sun began to set. Ron looked at the clock.  
  
"Oh no! We've missed dinner!" he sunk deep in his chair.  
  
"Don't worry. We can go down to the kitchen. I need to go down there anyway."  
  
"I was wondering how you managed to stay alive. I haven't seen you eat in the Great Hall for months." Ron stated as they made their way past the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room and to the painting of giant fruit.  
  
Harry tickled the pear. It squealed and the picture pulled back revealing the entrance into the kitchen. The house-elves were working happily, cleaning all the platters. Dobby came running up to them at once. He still wore all of Hermione's knitting, although a lot of the articles were beginning to look a bit drab.  
  
"Harry Potter! And his Wheezy! Welcome! What may Dobby get for Harry Potter?" the house elf bowed greatly. Ron laughed slightly; Harry nudged him in the ribs.  
  
"Pork Chops and Pumpkin juice, please." Harry replied, kindly.  
  
"Oh! And roasted Potatoes! And Eclairs!" Ron added, enthusiastically.  
  
"You don't want to fill up. We're going to be riding on the Knight Bus later, remember?" Harry whispered. Ron looked disappointed.  
  
"Just the Chops and the juice then."  
  
"Dobby, I have another favor."  
  
"Yes, Harry Potter! Anything!"  
  
"Can you make enough sandwiches and food that won't spoil for eight people? Enough for at least three meals each?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
The elf bowed again. Harry smiled at Ron. Their plan was already unfolding. They heard a noise at the entrance. Both Ron and Harry jumped behind the furnace. Harry rolled his eyes, noticing it was just Malfoy, and came out from hiding.  
  
"What are you doing down here?" they questioned at the same time.  
  
"I'm a prefect, I have rights to be where ever I feel there might be trouble. Now why are you here?"  
  
"Having dinner, so none of your housemates try to off me in front of an audience. I'm also getting food for the trip." he replied, dryly. Malfoy smiled.  
  
"Me too."  
  
They both dropped their guard and sat down to eat as Dobby and two other house elves brought over plates of food. As soon as Dobby noticed Malfoy, he dropped the plate carrying the pumpkin juice. Another house-elf apologized for Dobby's behavior and scurried off to get more.  
  
"M...mm..master." he whimpered.  
  
"Dobby, I'm not your master anymore. Get up, you git." Malfoy threw a piece of bread at him.  
  
"S-sorry. Is t-there anything e-else you, w-wish for, Harry Potter?" Dobby's ears had drooped and he was shaking.  
  
"No, thats all. Thank you, Dobby."  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Malfoy added, grabbing a glass of pumpkin juice from the returning house-elf. Dobby got wide eyed.  
  
"OH! Harry Potter! He's changed Master's heart! Harry Potter really does amazing things!" he squeaked. Malfoy shot him an evil glare, which sent Dobby running off, nearly tripping over the stockings that were too big for his feet. Malfoy smirked.  
  
"Why do you have to treat him like that?"  
  
"Because he's a house-elf! He's used to it. He was MY house-elf. My father was furious when you pulled that little stunt, losing us a servant." Malfoy sneered.  
  
"Well at least he has some brains. If it wasn't for him, Harry might've died second and fourth year." Ron shot back.  
  
"Yeah he was always pretty lousy at keeping his nose out of our business. I figured something was up second year when that Bludger went out of control. I told my father about my suspicion. Blasted creature got what he deserved for that one. Nearly killed me too with that Bludger."  
  
"Well he's not your servant anymore. You could show him a little more respect."  
  
"Watch it, Potter. You're beginning to sound like Granger." Malfoy smirked.  
  
Harry too was a bit taken back by his response. He did sound like Hermione. It reminded him that he couldn't retaliate against Malfoy. He knew too much now and they needed his help. He could just as easily go tell Dumbledore their plan and stop them before they even got to Hogsmeade. He pretended to ignore Malfoy as he continued to taunt the house-elves when they brought over the sandwiches that Harry'd requested. Harry thanked them incessantly, in an attempt to make up for Malfoy's behavior.  
  
By the time they finished eating, they had just enough time to go and change before heading to the Room of Requirement. Everyone was already waiting, except Malfoy, when Harry and Ron arrived. A couple more people had joined them. Seamus Finnigan was talked into coming, by Dean Thomas. He didn't seem to enthused about being there though, and scowled at Harry. They were talking amongst each other. Lavender was comforting Parvati. Harry didn't have to ask what was wrong. He assumed that Dumbledore had spoken to her about her sister, that or it was the odd twin connection they shared. Harry remained silent, even after demands for an explanation, until Malfoy finally showed up.  
  
"Wanted to make an entrance?" Seamus asked the belated Slytherin. Malfoy didn't reply and sat down next to Harry. Harry began to speak, but was inturrupted again by Lavender.  
  
"Hey, what's with the foe-glass. I didn't notice that before. It's changed." she stated, looking at the old cracked mirror. The whites of the figures eyes were showing. Malfoy fidgeted and looked at Harry with a threatening glare. Harry ignored it.  
  
"It's because he's here. He's been marked as a Death Eater. I told you he was trained." Harry stated, pointing casually at Malfoy.  
  
"You've been marked?!" Lavender gasped.  
  
"Let me see!" Luna jumped up. He rolled his eyes and pulled up his sleeve. She went to touch it, but he pushed her away.  
  
"So why are we here? Will you tell us now that HE's here?"  
  
"Now... some of you might not be up for this. I understand if you dont. But I have to ask that if you decide not to join us, please do not go telling Dumbledore or anyone for that matter where we've gone. That charm that Hermione put on the list still applies. Just for a warning."  
  
"Get on with it!" Seamus yelled from the back.  
  
"We're going to rescue them ourselves."  
  
"How?? We're not fully trained. We'll be defeated within minutes."  
  
"Within seconds." Parvati corrected Lavender.  
  
"Yes, I know that, but apparently their being held captive as ransom... for me."  
  
"So let's just give you to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named then and get our friends and family back!" Seamus shouted.  
  
"Yeah you could defeat him or at least escape, you've done it before? Why should we put our lines on the necks."  
  
"Well if that's the way you feel about it, then you'll just have to deliver me to him yourselves. He's in Manchester. We want everyone back safe just as much as you all do, that's why we're going."  
  
"What does he care what happens to them? He's one of them." Seamus pointed to Malfoy. There were a few nods in agreement.  
  
"He's in love with Hermione. That's why. That's the only reason he's even helping us." Lavender announced. Malfoy stood up.  
  
"I'm not in love with that filthy mud-blood. I'm doing this to get back at my father, and if you dare say that again...as Potter said, I am trained as a death eater."  
  
"Oh just admit it, already. We don't care." Dean Thomas told him. Harry and Ron grabbed Malfoy before he could attack, and pulled him back.  
  
"We're not going to get anywhere fighting. Either we can stay here bickering for the next four days, or we can do something about this and go after them. We can defeat them. We're all reaching NEWT standards, we're smart and cunning. We'll figure something out. But I need to know whether or not you're in or your out." Harry lectured.  
  
There was mutters and whispers, but finally everyone agreed that they'd go, even Seamus Finnigan. Harry explained the plan to send a few over at a time with him to the secret passage with the invisiblity cloak until everyone was safely hidden in the tunnel. Then they'd head over to Honeydukes and sneak out under the invisibility cloak. It was at that point that Malfoy pulled out his own Invisibility Cloak.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us you have one?" Ron inquired. Malfoy shrugged, but didn't say anything. Harry summed it down to the possibility that he was trying to be nice and not say anything he'd normally say. Maybe it was because he was outnumbered.  
  
Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map. None of the teachers were around. Most of them were in their offices or dormitories. Filch was on the second floor, and Mrs. Norris was with him.  
  
"Snape's pacing on the third floor, so we'll have to be on a look out for him. We'll all fit under the two cloaks, but make sure, especially when we're on the third floor, not to let any part of you stick out from underneath. If Snape suspects anything, we'll all be dead." Harry told them. Everyone nodded then climbed under the cloaks. They quickly but quietly made their way down to the third floor corridors. Harry watched the map to see how close they were to Snape. He was heading in their direction. Unfortunatly just as they reached the statue of the witch, the cloak covering Harry, Ron, Malfoy and Luna slipped off.  
  
"Dissendium!" Harry tapped the witch quickly and picked up the cloak. He rushed the others into the tunnel, watching the dot of Snape moving closer to them. The enterence in the tunnel was too thin to allow any more than one person at a time into it's enterance.  
  
'Hurry!" he whispered to them.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, may I ask what you're doing out of bed at this time of night?" Snape's voice called at the end of the corridor. Harry quickly shut the stone, grasping the edges tightly, as to not fall down to the bottom where the tunnel lead. He wasn't going to leave without Malfoy.  
  
"I heard a rumor that some second years were planning on sneaking out of bed, and I wanted to catch them before they did anything... michievious." he heard Malfoy say. Snape seemed pleased with this, and let him be. As soon as Harry was sure the coast was clear he reached out and grabbed Malfoy, pulling him into the tunnel. They toppled over each other as they slid down to the ground.  
  
"Lumos!" Harry muttered, rubbing his shoulder which he'd fallen on.  
  
"Now what?" Dean Thomas asked. He was brushing dirt off himself.  
  
"Now we've got about an hour until we reach Honeydukes cellar. So just bear with me and come on." Harry moved to the front of the group and started leading them through the twist and turns of the tunnel.  
  
"You still never told us what we're going to do once we get to the mansion. How are we going to defeat Lucius Malfoy and his group?" Lavender asked.  
  
"You leave my father to me." Malfoy sneered.  
  
"We'll figure something out. We'll take an extra lesson or something before we go in if we have to. We have four days." Harry told her, ignoring Malfoy. He had to be honest with himself. He had no idea what he was doing, or where he was leading his classmates. He just prayed to himself that he wasn't leading them to their death or to torture. He wanted to rescue Hermione, Ginny, and Cho before it was too late. He'd already lost everyone who'd ever been family to him. He wasn't going to lose his friends like he lost them.  
  
About an hour later, they were crawling out of the loose stone on the cellar floor of the candy shop. He strained the importance of being quiet as they covered themselves with the cloaks again. They crept up the steps and to the main floor of the store. He unlocked the door with a spell and they walked out into the cool early morning air of Hogsmeade. The town was dead, except for a few old hags lying around outside of The Hog's Head. He lead the group out to the edge of the forest. He tried to think hard of the importance of the Knight Bus and how badly they needed it. After about another hour, Harry began to accept one of his worst fears since inventing the plan. The bus wasn't coming. 


	22. Another Way

"Well, where is it?" Malfoy asked, getting just as annoyed as Harry. He'd been asking this question every couple minutes, knowing perfectly well that Harry too, was completly clueless. The others were starting to get aggitated. A few of them whispered about going back, but when Harry shot them glances, the whispering descended. He looked down the road that lead into the forest. His patience were wearing thin. Malfoy opened his mouth to make another snide comment, but Harry turned his wand on him, and he shut it.  
  
"It's not coming for us, someone must've tipped them off to what we're doing." Lavender finally decided. She turned to head back to Honeydukes. No sooner than they had, they heard hoof prints coming from the forest. They heard a horse whinny.  
  
"What is it?" Parvati asked, straining hard into the dark.  
  
"Thestrals." Malfoy muttered, and stepped back a bit.  
  
It was indeed the Thestrals. The sounds of the hooves got louder. The gallop turned into a trot as they approached the students. Both Harry and Neville, went and started petting the horses. Harry looked back and noticed Malfoy standing behind the group as they all walked closer to find the horses. His face was solemn as he stared. Harry went over to him.  
  
"Pansy's-"  
  
"I know why I can see them!" Malfoy snapped and pushed Harry aside. He went over to one of the four horses and stared at it, observing it.  
  
"So I guess we can try and take them to Manchester..." Harry stated.  
  
"What if they were sent by Dumbledore, they might take us back to Hogwarts. We'll all be expelled." Lavender stated, as she was nudged by, an invisible to her, dragon like snout of one of the Thestrals. Harry pondered this for a minute.  
  
"We don't have much of a choice, do we? We can't walk to Manchester. The bus isn't coming. We could always travel the muggle way and take a train. But I think that with our school robes and black clothing we might look a bit suspicous." replied Harry, as he started to mount one of the Thestrals. There were a few undistuingishable mutters, then the rest followed suit. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan scrambled onto a horse that they couldn't see, with Luna's help. Lavender and Parvati were next, then she helped Neville onto the last horse and he pulled her up. She smiled at him and blushed a bit. Harry helped Ron up, then offered a hand to Malfoy.  
  
"I've ridden a horse before, Potter.... a few other things as well." he spat and pulled himself up behind Ron, who pretended to almost fall off and elbowed Malfoy in the stomach.  
  
"Tenebrus, we need to get to... hey where exactly are we headed?" Harry directed at Malfoy.  
  
"Stretford." he replied in a monotone.  
  
"We need to get to Stretford as fast as we can." Harry informed the Thestral. The creature seemed to nod its head in understanding, then began to beat it's large bat like wings. Harry clung tightly around Tenebrus' neck. Ron grasped Harry's waist to keep from really falling, and Malfoy grabbed him. Ron pulled up his legs, away from the giant wings when he felt them brush up hard against him.  
  
"This is so weird. I'm so cold." Lavender complained as she groped around for a place to hang on, as her and Parvati's Thestral began to bat its wings. The other Thestrals followed, as Tenebrus took off into the air.  
  
Harry's stomach settled a bit once he realized that they were taking them South, instead of back up to the Castle. He released some of his grip on Tenebrus and sat up. Harry felt refreshed, feeling the wind in his face. Aside from the coldness sweeping through his body with the mixture of cold air and the fact that he was touching a Thestral, Harry related the experience to that of when he'd first rode Buckbeak his third year. They rose higher and he watched as the town of Hogsmeade became nothing but small blurbs of buildings underneath them, and disappeared into the darkness of early morning. Harry looked back at the others. Dean and Seamus were holding on for dear life. Parvati and Lavender seemed to be enjoying the sites. Harry thought about how akward it must be for them to be riding something they couldn't even see. He looked at Ron, who wore a pitiful expression of fear and discomfort. Malfoy, like Harry, was observing the other students. He glanced at Harry, then averted his attention elsewhere. Harry felt himself drifting off to sleep awhile later. He couldn't control it as his eyes began to droop...  
  
Hermione crouched down on the floor. Tears were streaming down her face. She had a cut under her right eye, where a bruise was forming. She wiped blood away from her lips. She looked up at Lucius Malfoy, who'd just struck her.  
  
"Do you really think they'll be able to save you? How pathetic."  
  
"Harry!" Ron's voice jolted Harry out of his sleep. He looked down to see the ground hundreds of feet below him and began to panic. He'd slipped right off Tenebrus. He looked back up and saw Malfoy grasping his hand tightly, but it was slipping. He reached up with his freehand and grabbed Malfoy's arm, who pulled him back up onto the Thestral. Ron had grabbed Tenebrus' neck as Malfoy'd grabbed Harry when he slipped. He pulled him up behind him.  
  
"Try not to get yourself killed before we even get there, ok?"  
  
"Er.. thanks...Draco." Harry replied and grabbed his waist as Tenebrus changed directions, almost bumping him off again.  
  
"I saw Hermione..."  
  
"What, before you tried to commit suicide?"  
  
"I don't know what happened okay? Anyway, your father's beating her right now. The sooner we can get there the better. I think us three are the only ones who really know how serious this is and what we're facing."  
  
"Do you want my opinion?"  
  
"Er..."  
  
"No one else seems to be doing anything about this so we weren't left with many options. But honestly, Potter, you lack organization skills. I suggest we get into Stretford and get rooms at a B&B, then sit down and plan this out. We can't just walk up, knock on the door, and say 'could we please have our friends back?'. I need to figure out exactly where the Manor is at any rate." remarked Malfoy.  
  
The Thestrals started moving downward towards the city below them. By the time they reached Stretford the sun was already beginning to rise and the town was busy with movement. They were dropped off in a park right outside of Stretford. Harry thanked Tenebrus gratefully, and waited for the rest of the group to join them. Seamus had a bit of trouble getting of his Thestral. Not being able to see exactly where to unsaddle, he miscalculated and toppled to the ground. Dean Thomas fell on top of him. Neville helped Luna down, and the both of them went to help Lavender and Parvati. Once all the students were safely on the ground, the Thestrals took off back towards Hogwarts. Harry turned around to see a homeless staring at them wide eyed, muttering words like "unbelievable" "what's this?" "who are..." Malfoy rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand.  
  
"Obliviate!"  
  
"Stupefy!" another voice called. Malfoy turned around to Nevile who had his wand out and was turning a shade of red as the man fell over.  
  
"You didn't have to knock him out, the memory charm would've sufficed." Harry pointed out and lowered Neville's wand.  
  
"Sorry." he muttered shly, then rejoined Luna and the others.  
  
"Now um... I think we should check into a Bed and Breakfast and sort all this out. He still needs to find out where the house is, and we need to practice. But we should rest first." Harry told them. He felt bad as he looked at them. They were all worn out and trying hard to stay awake. Even Ron seemed to be drifting in and out.  
  
"There's a Wizard Inn outside of Trafford. We could go there." Lavender piped up.  
  
"We're going to need to catch a bus, we can't go walking through the streets like this, we'll stick out." Seamus Finnigan stated.  
  
"How exactly to do propose we do that? I think it's highly unlikely they'll except galleons in the muggle world. We don't have much of a choice." Malfoy replied.  
  
"That's why we're here mate!" called a voice from behind a fountain. They all turned to see Fred and George Weasley walking up to them.  
  
"How'd you know we were here?"  
  
"Who do you think informed Dumbledore that you needed the Thestrals?"  
  
"Yeah, it's not like you can really plan anything in Hogwarts anymore without someone finding out."  
  
"Ron here told us about the plan." Fred smiled and patted Ron on the back. Ron turned bright red and wouldn't make eye contact at Harry.  
  
"Oh don't be mad at him." George told Harry.  
  
"We think the idea's brilliant!" Fred added.  
  
"The more the merrier. Lupin, Tonk, and Moody are already on their way over. Ran into a bit of trouble though with some deatheaters."  
  
"Hagrid's on his way too, with Madam Maxime!"  
  
"This is it, mate."  
  
"Yeah we might not be able to get to Voldemort, but if we make an impression and put a dent in his army, it'll buy us more time before the war." Fred and George took turns explaining the situation to the group. Dumbledore had expected Harry to act rashly, and we he'd heard that they were already in Hogsmeade, he'd sent the twins to look after them. Hermione had apparently contacted Viktor Krum before the Hogmeade visit and asked him to come to Hogwarts and talk with Dumbledore. He was bringing with him a fair amount of supporters from Durmstrang. Everyone was on their way to Manchester. This relieved Harry more than anyone would know. They followed Fred and George out to Stretford and they caught a double decker bus.  
"Dad gave us muggle money before we left." Fred stated and started digging through his pockets.  
  
"It's not much but it'll get us where we need to go, since you ickle ones can't apparate yet." Fred added, then handed the driver a pocket full of change.  
  
"Oops, that's mine." he took a galleon out of the hand of the driver and smiled goofily at him. They all boarded the bus.  
  
"Where to?" ask the driver.  
  
"Trafford, please." George told him and followed behind Luna and Neville. They all found seats on the first level. A few people stared, and others commented to each other about the appearance of the nine teenagers dressed in all black wearing unusual robes.  
  
"So how's the joke shop going?" Harry asked as he took a seat behind the twins with Ron and Malfoy .  
"Brilliant, mate."  
  
"Business has skyrocketed. We're getting orders for our fireworks from Beauxbatons and the Harvard School of Magic and Mystery in the United States. The snackboxes are a sell out." George replied, turning around.  
  
"Mom finally accepted our career choice when we sent her a new set of robes and books to replace that rediculous Lockheart set. Dad was just thrilled when we sent him a box of Muggle clothing and accessories. I think we might out sell Zonko's in no time." added Fred.  
  
"That foul was bollocks! It was Owen and his poor excuse of talent! Keane was not out of line. Bloody fucking Owen, I tell you. He's shite!" yelled a muggle man from the front of the bus to his companion who sat next to him.  
  
"Football, you know I never really understood it." Fred remarked. George nodded in agreement.  
  
They arrived at Sleepy Owl Inn awhile later and shuffled in. They then booked five rooms that were reasonably close to each other. Harry told them all to get some rest and he'd be in for them later that afternoon to start working on defense spells. They nodded the best they could in their sleep deprived state and walked wearily too their room.  
  
"Ron, you bunk with Neville." Harry stated.  
  
"You're going to bunk with Malfoy? Are you sure thats such a good idea, mate?"  
  
"Don't worry about me." he replied, curtly. He was tired and didn't care who he was sharing a room with as long as he could sleep. When he got to the room, Malfoy was already there laying in bed.  
  
"Close the door. I need to talk to you." he sneered. Harry closed it then laid down on his own bed. His body ached for rest. He wasn't in the mood to talk and he began to drift into a sleep.  
  
"Potter! Did you not hear me? I need to talk."  
  
"Save it for later."  
  
"No. What did you see on our way here? What's my father doing?"  
  
"I told you, I just saw your father beating her. Oh and yelled at her."  
  
"What'd he say?" Malfoy asked, urgently.  
  
"I... I don't know. Why is this so important?"  
  
"Because he knows we're coming." Harry snapped awake and sat up, hearing this.  
"You mean he knows the order's coming right?"  
  
"No, God you're thick. He knows you and I are coming. He's gotten stronger with the Legilimen spell. I couldn't use Occlumency against it. He knows about me teaching them to reflect the Imperius curse, and he saw everything you told me before we got together last night. He knows we're here."  
  
"Why didn't you mention this early?" Harry snapped. Malfoy shrugged.  
  
"You're getting on my last nerve Malfoy! What else have you just forgotten to mention?" he got no response.  
  
"I shouldn't have even brought you along, you're worthless. You haven't been helpful, you've just been making matters worse. That's the plan isn't it? All you care about is your childish retaliation against your father. Don't expect pity out of me, I don't care what happened in your perfect childhood. At least you have a father and a family! It was your own choice to abandon them. You brought this all upon yourself! "  
  
"Save your orphan bullshit, Potter. I don't want to hear it. This is between me and my father. As for being useless, if it wasn't for me you would've been poisoned. And, I was kind enough to save your pathetic life again. I could've just let you fall, but I didn't. So you owe me, and you're going to help me. If you don't, I'll have no problem with disposing of you. You've been annoying me since first year, and good riddence if you die in the process of your feeble attempt to save your friends."  
  
"Do you even care about what happens to Hermione? We knew you were feeding her all this bullshit about actually caring for her, but you had her so convinced."  
  
"I care, okay?! I care! How the hell do you think all of this got started in the first place? Forget it. You're too much of a git to understand anything that happens around you. You're so self absorbed in your own iquest/i that anything else that happens around you and to the people you care about gets pushed aside and only gets attention when it involves you having to be a hero. It's that stupid Gryffindor pride. It's you trying act exactly like your pathetic father, who went and got himself killed because of it. You'll die just like him, because you don't see anything else!"  
  
"You iare/i in love with her." Harry stated in awe. He was extremly pissed off about what Malfoy had said about his father, but he was beginning to see the truth. The truth about the relationship between him and Hermione, and his own attitude about things. Harry was about to say something else, but the door was forced open. Ron and Neville jumped in, pointing their wands at Malfoy.  
  
"All right, Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's okay, you can lower your wands. Nothing happened."  
  
"We heard yelling. I told you this wasn't a good idea, Harry. You go sleep with in the other room with Neville. I can handle him."  
  
"No it's all right, really. Just go back to bed." Harry told them and rushed them out the door.  
  
"We only have to pretend to be friends for a little while longer. After that, I don't want you speaking to any of us again." Harry told Malfoy, coolly.  
  
"It'll be my pleasure." he replied and turned over with his back against Harry, who crawled back into bed and finally allowed his body and mind to rest. 


	23. A Lesson Before Battle

When Harry woke up a few hours later, he awoke knowing something that he shouldn't. He looked over at the bed across from his. Malfoy was already awake and had left the room. Harry pulled himself up, and went downstairs where most of the group was talking excitedly and having a bit of a breakfast that was more like lunch. Ron went to the bottom of the steps to meet him.  
  
"About time you woke up. We've been wondering when you were going to come down. Seamus suggest we go and get you, but I told him it might not be a wise idea. We just started eating." he said and walked with Harry to the table. He made eye contact with Malfoy, then both looked away. He'd been engaged in a conversation with Luna Lovegood, obviously not of his own will, as she discussed what her father would be printing in the next edition of The Quibbler.  
  
Harry forced himself to eat something, trying to get the dream he'd had out of his head. He wanted to say something to someone, but he didn't know who to talk to. Normally, he'd tell Ron. But for some reason he didn't think Ron would be the best one to tell with this information. He fancied Hermione and if he found out, the chance of bloodshed would be high. He looked again at Malfoy. He should tell him. He had to tell him, but he couldn't. He was still feeling the anger of the arguement they'd had hours before. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke him or be provoked himself.  
  
After they'd eaten the group reformed back upstairs in Luna, Parvati, and Lavender's room because it was the largest. The girls accioed the beds on top of each other leaving a clearing in the room where they could all stand and discuss their plan. Fred and George said that the Order would be at the manor either that day or the next. Krum and his crew would be there shortly after. They had about a day at the most to practice whatever spells they had before what was left of DA headed off to help. After the meeting, the twins left to rejoin the rest of the order. Fred gave Harry directions on how to get there, and a warning.  
  
"Watch out for the King of Slytherin. You and Dumbledore may trust him, but we never will.  
  
"Just watch your back, okay Harry?" George added, as he grabbed Fred by the arm and dragged him out the door. Harry nodded at them then turned back to the group.  
  
"So we have today. We need to work harder than ever. It should be a bit easier now that we don't have to worry about anyone discovering us. But I don't want a repeat of last year, I don't want anyone to be..." his voice trailed off. There was that sting in his heart again, Sirius. Neville nodded, fully aware of what he was speaking of. Luna gave a slight expression of agreeance before slipping back into her dreamy state, staring out of the second floor window.  
  
"I think our best bet is to just teach them how to defend themselves. Let's not worry about capturing or killing anyone. Leave it to the others." Malfoy said, absentmindely while picking off string and soot from his robe.  
  
"Right. You guys will be in charge of distracting the death eaters while Ron and I go find the others. Use the spells we learned last year and Malfoy here will teach you how to block or avoid being hit."  
  
"I will?"  
  
"Yes... you know the spells, I don't."  
  
"Well what've you been doing the past few years to avoid the Dark Lord?"  
  
"It's been luck. Nor more than that." Harry replied, solomnly.  
  
He didn't want to talk anymore. Being reminded that he would soon be seeing everyone who'd been a part of the ordeals of the previous year brought back a wave of emotions that Harry just wasn't ready to deal with. There had be one other thing on his mind besides rescuing Hermione. He wanted to avenge Sirius' death. He knew it was the only way he'd could be at rest. His first mission was going to be to kill Bellatrix Lestrange. It struck him then that maybe he understood Malfoy a little better than he thought. They both had their own motives, their own reasons for taking a part in this. He did love Hermione, he just had to take care of something first. He looked up at his archenemy as he began walking the group through the basic blocking and shield spells. He caught Malfoy's eye and mouthed;  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"So basically watch your attacker, you can usually tell when their about to strike. You have to watch their body language. My father for instance was trained in the Martial Arts as well, and it's all about psyche. I wouldn't be suprised if he's taught the others as well. So when you see that you're about to be attacked you can use i Invisico Miselfo/i. You have about thirty seconds in which you'll be invisible. It will confuse your attacker and give you time just enough to get out of the way of the casted spell. Understand? Hey Looney, you even listening?"  
  
Luna snapped out of her trance and smiled at Malfoy, who rolled his eyes. She moved closer to the group. Her hand touched Neville's, and he jumped a bit before blushing. She smiled back at him. They took turns in pairs. The room only allowed enough space for that. They'd cast harmless spells at each other and try to make themselves invisible. They were failing. Seamus turned a bit pale and shadowy, but you could still see him in full. Malfoy started getting annoyed.  
  
"You're not consentrating enough. Try again!"  
  
"Why don't you start us off on something easier? It's a complicated spell." Lavender snapped at him.  
  
"Fine. We'll practice the Shield Spell. When you're being attacked, you can protect yourself by saying iMiranium Deflecto/i. It'll protect you from the spell, but it wears off quickly, so don't be nieve and think that it'll continously save you. Now go." he told them irritably, then walked over to Harry.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's about Hermione. I saw her talking with your father again... Draco, she's-"  
Harry didn't get time to finish his sentence. The door opened and there stood Viktor Krum with six other blokes the same size of him from Durmstrang. Viktor walked up to Harry and offered his hand. Harry took shook hands.  
  
"The moment I got Hermy-own-ninny's letter, ve had to come. Ve owe it to Dumbledore avter Karkaroff betrayed us and Hogvorts. She says you haff...dreams? How is she?"  
  
Harry had never felt more relieved to see them. Now at least, the DA stood a chance. Ron however, seemed to have regained his dislike for the Bulgarian Seeker and accidentally set of an Incarcerous spell, binding Neville up.  
  
"Oh sorry!" he muttered, and helped him out of the ropes, still glaring at Krum.  
  
"Ah ves, Ron Veasley. Good it is to see you again. And you, Draco Malvoy" Krum smiled, if you could call it that.  
  
"Yeah, hey Viktor." Ron stumbled back up to his feet and shook his hand. Harry hid his amusement at Ron's sudden change back to worshipping. Malfoy just nodded and directed his attention to six new people in the room.  
  
"I'd like to introduce my friends, Gavril, Ivan, Borka, Mikhail, Pavel, and Poliakoff. He vas also there at Hogvorts vor the tournament." the tall lankey man that was Poliakoff bowed and moved back into line. There weren't many of them, but Harry was sure they'd make an impression.  
  
"I'm glad you could join us. Maybe you can help? We're trying to train in defense. There was a problem at the school last year, we missed out on a whole years worth of Defense Against the Dark Arts, so we're a bit behind."  
  
"No problem. Vhat is it you vant to learn?"  
  
"I've been trying to teach them the Invisibility Charm but none of them are skilled enough for it. They're even struggling with the Shield Spell." Malfoy butted in, pushing Ron and Neville aside.  
  
"Very vell, ve'll continue vourking on that then." Krum nodded and took Malfoy's place as instructor. Much to Malfoy's annoyance, the group learned quicker with the new teacher. They'd all mastered the Shield Spell by the time the sun was setting, and they got to work on the Invisibility Charm. Harry had tried to talk to Malfoy again, but there was too much commotion. They kept getting distracted. At one point Harry had to dodge a Furnuclus hex that Neville had accidentally sent his way.  
  
"Sorry, Harry." he flushed.  
  
"I'd be more focused on your aim, Longbottom. You'll get one of us killed quicker than you'll ever be able to protect yourself." Malfoy spat, as he too had to jump out of the way of the misguided hex.  
  
"Hey, at least he's trying. He's a better wizard then you make him out to be, you know."  
  
"Oh yeah? How many O.W.L.s did you get last year, Longbottom?"  
  
"Five."  
  
Neville turned redder, everyone was now evesdropping and the spells ceased. Malfoy smirked. Harry glared at him and went over to help Neville. They continued for another hour, before Lavender and Parvati started complaining about being hungry. Harry told them all they'd continue after dinner, and they went downstairs. Harry went back to his room, after borrowing a quill from the Inn keeper and a piece of parchment. He sat down to write a letter to Dumbledore.  
  
Professor Dumbledore,  
They have arrived. They've helped us learn protective spells, and everyone's improved greatly. I'm sorry I didn't tell you.  
  
Sincerely,  
Harry  
  
He looked at the parchment, unsatisfied. He wanted to tell Dumbledore how sorry he was that he was probably going to let him down. He wanted to explain to him everything that was going on inside his head, but he wouldn't be able to do it in an owl. It was too risky. He, at the least, though wanted to tell Dumbledore that everything was okay. He rolled up the letter and went downstairs to borrow an owl. He was halfway down the stairs when he heard the yelling.  
  
"Vot is your problem?" he heard Viktor ask.  
  
"Oh, he just doesn't like to hear anyone else talk about her like that." Parvati told him, with a certain air in her voice.  
  
"Shut up, Patil." snapped Malfoy.  
  
Harry decended a few more steps. Malfoy had Krum on the ground as Borka and Poliakoff grabbed him and pulled him off. Harry rushed down the rest of the stair case. Everyone turned, noticing his presence.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"I don't know. I vas just talking vith Ron about how I vanted Hermy-own-ninny to vist this summer. Ve got close during the time since I left Hogvorts, and ve ver discussing spending summer together. I asked Ron vot kind of places she likes to see vehn he attacked me." Krum explained, looking at Malfoy with bewilderment.  
  
"Oh don't try and act like you just want to take her site seeing." Malfoy sneered, still struggling. Borka and Poliakoff were near the same height and build, but were obviously stronger.  
  
"Vot do you care? You don't consider her... eqval is the word, I think."  
  
"It's not about how I consider her. You just can't come in here and start talking like you two have some sort of relationship. When...when..."  
  
Harry watched Malfoy, attentively. He got a bit of satisfaction watching Malfoy try and cover up his reckless action. There wasn't anything he could say, everyone knew the truth, and no lie could cover it up. Harry looked at Ron, who returned the glance with matched contentment.  
  
"You and Hermy-own-ninny, you two viff each other then? She did not mention. I am sorry, I did not know." Krum said, blatantly. He motioned for the two other Bulgarians to release him.  
  
"Sit, ve vill talk." Krum sat down at the table, then looked at Malfoy. Harry went over and whispered to the others that they should get back upstairs to practice, since they were leaving first thing in the morning. Lavender and Parvati protested, eager to hear what Malfoy and Krum were going to talk about, but Ron pushed them towards the stairs. Once everyone was on their way up, Harry turned to Ron.  
  
"Go on, I'll be up in a minute. I've got to get this sent out to Dumbledore."  
  
"The others are going to mad that you get to listen and they don't."  
  
"Just tell them I'll fill them in later. That should please them for now." Harry replied and went back down the stairs. Malfoy glared at him, wanting him to leave the room.  
  
"I'm just going to owl this out. I'll only be a minute." he remarked, walking to the Inn keeper and paying him for the use of the owl. Harry tied the letter on slowly, listening the best he could.  
  
"The last letter, I recieved she stated that she vas vorried about a friend. At first, I vought is vas Harry. Now I see, I vas vrong. She said that somone close to her, has experienced change, and had lot of troubles. Vat his life changed, and vas no more close viff his friends. You see vhy I make mistake? Last time ve met, you called her names, no? You showed deep anger viff each other. Ve vrite often. She never mentioned you by name."  
  
"Hey Potter, Don't you have some illiterate friends to teach?" Malfoy snapped. Harry quickly finished tieing the parchment and opened the window to let the owl out.  
  
"Hogwarts School of Wizardry." he told the owl. He then rushed up the stairs and opened a door on the left of the staircase, across from the room where the group was practicing. He shut it, but remained on the stairs.  
  
"So you like her then?" he heard Malfoy ask.  
  
"Yes, but she has stated ve are just friends. This summer it vould be as friends. She has never seen the North, see? My vahther has invited her to stay. I admit though, I am suprised that you've changed about her. Your vamily is known for its strict vays, even vare I come vrom. She is not like us, so to speak. Not of vull blood."  
  
"I don't know what it is about her. She's annoys me more than anyone in the world, even more so than Potter, at times. She makes me sick. She thinks she's better than me. She shows off and sucks up to every teacher. Even more annoyingly she hangs around with Potter and Weasel, and expects me to be nice to them. At the same time though, I can't seem to get her off my mind, ever. She says things that dig into my brain. She's the first one who's ever actually made me feel guilty. Even after all the shit I've said to her over the past five and a half years, she's forgiven me. I find myself telling her things that I shouldn't. And then when's she gone, I realize what I've done and get more confused. I mean, I've been with tons of other girls. There's just something about her. She's the only person I've ever known, aside from that git Potter, who's stood up to my father. "  
  
"Vell maybe you love her. Maybe you're just doing this cause your vather despises it. But if it really vas something between you two, i vonder vhy she never told me. Haff you spoken vith her about these veelings?"  
  
"Huh. No. I don't want to be with her. She's a mudblood. It's degrading. I just... don't know if I can be without her."  
  
"Either you haff to change the vay you look at her or you just need to giff up. She deserves more than someone who's going to judge her by the vact that she's not a vull blooded vitch."  
  
"It's not a matter of that. It's what she is and what I am. It's a tradition." snapped Malfoy.  
  
"Vell the tradition is stupid. Durmstrang may vallow by it, but I am not my grandvather. My vahther told me that it didn't matter, if you ver a vizard than you ver."  
  
"Yeah, well my father..."  
  
"Break tradition, Draco. Vhy do you haff to live like your vahther? You've proven you don't believe vat he does. You're here on the ovher side of the battle."  
  
"Shut up, you have no idea." Malfoy stood up and headed for the stairs. Harry quickly retreated higher up.  
  
"I vent to a school based on the type of morals your vahther raised you on, but you're right, I haff no idea vhat it must be like vor you. I am going to tell Hermy-own-ninny to stay avay vrom you. Until you learn to adjust to new life, you vill only hurt her."  
  
"Do whatever you want." Malfoy replied. Harry quickly ran to his room and pretended to be writing another letter. Malfoy came in and slammed the door.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"I know you heard everything. I'm not dumb, Potter. Didn't think I'd be able to hear you run in here from the staircase?"  
  
"Well we better get back to the others..." Harry said solomnly.  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes and followed Harry out the room. Everyone had seemed to gotten the hang of the Invisibility charm, and had moved on to offensive spells, such as stunning and stinging. Harry joined in with his friends. Malfoy just sat on the piled beds and watched them the remainder of the evening, thinking upon the discussion he'd just had with Viktor Krum.  



	24. The First Battle

The room was darker than the one he'd seen before. He felt himself creeping up to it, trying not to make any noise. He tried the handle of the door, it felt warm. When he pulled it open, it was not what he'd been expecting. Chained up on the wall or the table were the five other students that'd been taken from Hogsmeade. Terry Boot and Justin Finch-Fletchley hung unconciously with shackles on their arms and legs. Colin Creevey was tied up in what looked like a medieval chair. Zacharias Smith and Michael Corner lay on two stone tables, tied down and gagged. Zacharias was crying, while Michael made no noise. The room was lit by a single torch, hanging near the door. The room was dark and musky. A foul stench of blood, standing water, and urine filled the room, making it hard for him to breathe. He had to do something. He had to save them. Harry rushed over to Justin Finch-Fletchley and felt himself pulling on the changes trying to get him free. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Michael Corner wasn't just unconcious, he was dead. He'd been cut open and his insides lay on a table next to him. Harry felt himself retch. He heard voices coming from outside the door. It opened before he had time to hide, but it seemed as if Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange couldn't see him. Malfoy had a smiling beaming from his face as Bellatrix whispered something to him.  
  
"Good, then they're acting just as we had hoped. It'll only be a matter of hours then. Now let's see what my friends have been up to." he replied, coldly. He walked over to Michael Corner, completly unaware of Harry standing right next to him.  
  
"Looks like Macnair couldn't wait. He's always had a passion for torturing muggles in ancient muggle ways." he ran his finger through Michael's blood and smelled it. He smiled again.  
  
"What will we do with others then?"  
  
"We'll wait till Potter's here, then we dispose of all of them, of course. Until then I'll warn Macnair not to kill them too quickly. We'll want them alive in the mean time."  
  
The stench got to Harry again and he felt himself vomit. His head was aching, he wanted the pain to stop. He yelled out. He felt someone smack him across the face. He opened his eyes. Both Ron and Malfoy were hovering over him. Malfoy had just slapped him. They both look bewildered and frightened.  
  
"Harry, what's happened?" Ron asked, pushing Malfoy out of the way. Harry looked down to see he'd vomited all over himself and the bed. He felt cold and clammy. He wanted to go back to sleep, he felt himself slipping in and out of conciousness. Malfoy hit him again.  
  
"Stop it! You're not making it any better!" Ron shouted.  
  
"Well, we have to keep him awake."  
  
"Michael Corner is dead. Any of the others could be too. We need to leave now." Harry managed to say. Ron helped him out of bed. He stumbled but forced himself to manuever to the bathroom to clean up. Ron and Malfoy went to wake everyone else up. Neville was already awake, after hearing Harry scream. He'd woken up Dean and Seamus as well. By the time Harry got back downstairs, everyone was awake and ready. They had breakfast, where Harry forced himself to eat again. He still felt nauseas but his headache was subsiding. He couldn't get the image of Michael lying on the table out of his head. He hadn't been able to tell if the others were still alive. No one spoke. The same thing was on everyone's mind. Would they make it in time, and would they be able to help? After everyone'd finished eating, Harry got together with Krum and Malfoy for some last minute planning.  
  
"You're all old enough to apparate. I suggest that you and your friends apparate there, and hide out to keep an eye on things. You might be able to detain the death eaters if they come looking for us. That should give us enough time to catch up with you and make it there safely. It's only a few miles south, we should be there in a couple hours." Harry told Viktor, who nodded in agreement. Harry turned to Malfoy.  
  
"Well then, just a few more days and we can go back to despising each other. You deal with your father, but leave your aunt to me. I have something I need closure to."  
  
"Avenging Sirius' death won't make him come back, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I know. But I'm not about to let her get away with it either. Can I trust you not to turn against us. You'll be fighting against family, you're not going to have a change of heart at the last minute are you?"  
  
"I've already made up my mind, haven't I? I can't go back. You can trust me." Malfoy assured him. The three went back to the group and Malfoy explained which way they would be going to get to the manor. Viktor Krum and the others from Durmstrang said their goodbyes.  
  
"Ve vill see you soon, Harry Potter." Viktor nodded, then apparated with his group.  
  
"All right then, here we go." Harry stated to his group.  
  
His stomach turned the piece of toast and pumpkin juice he'd had, harshly. He didn't want his friends involved with this. They weren't any more ready than they'd been the previous year and he'd nearly gotten Hermione and Neville killed. They should be back at Hogwarts worrying about their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.Ts. That brought him to thinking about his own N.E.W.Ts. He hadn't been paying attention in class all year and his hope for becoming an Auror was looking slimmer. They made their way through Stretford. A few people stopped and stared at them. One muggle stopped and asked what school they went to and why they weren't in school at that moment.  
  
"Er... hey I think I see our bus." Ron distracted, pulling Neville along. The others followed. Finally the shops and people began to become fewer as they headed into the more rural section of Stretford. They walked along the fields and farms and into a small forest on the edge of Stretford.  
  
"How do we know he's leading us to the right spot?" Lavender whispered to Parvati, glancing at Malfoy.  
  
"Harry trusts him, and you know how they are. If he's believing him, he must have good reason to. Besides if anything happens Viktor will come for us." Parvati sighed.  
  
Harry pushed his way through the branches and forest debris behind Malfoy, who was coincendately pulling back the branches just far enough so that they'd hit Harry.  
"Hey, I thought you said that you didn't know where it was."  
  
"It's not that hard to find a place when you're being called to it." he replied and showed Harry the burn of the death mark that was glowing on his arm, before letting another branch go.  
  
They met back up with Viktor and the others at the edge of the forest. He reported that he'd seen both Moody and another guy that from a decription, Harry deciphered at Lupin entering the house about an hour before. They hadn't seen any action in or out of the house since. They were about ready to go in as a big group when a voice called out from behind them. Harry turned around to see Blaise Zabini and a whole horde of other Slytherins approaching them.  
  
"Didn't think we'd let you just slip out of Hogwarts and rescue your friends that easily did you?" Zabini mocked, then smirked at Malfoy.  
  
"What've you become? How pathetic. You got offered a spot with the Dark Lord before any of us did, and you turned it down? Well now we know where the real loyalty lies. Don't even know how the rest of us believed your stories and bullshit anyway. You know your jokes really were never that funny, and without Pansy there we would've considered outcasting you sooner. God, all your talk and jealousy about Potter. Didn't think we'd see right through you? You wanted to be him so bad. So I guess playing his sidekick is the next best thing, eh? Or maybe screwing his best friend is, I wouldn't know. I don't fuck mudbloods."  
  
"Shut up, Zabini." Ron snapped, stepping in front of Harry and Malfoy. Theodore Nott and Graham Pritchard stepped next to Zabini, as if to protect him. Although by his size he hardly needed any protection against Ron. All together there were nine of them.  
  
"We'll duel you, Zabini. If that's what you want. And when I'm done with you, it'll remind you of who runs Slytherin." Malfoy sneered, pushing past Ron.  
  
"All right then. There's nine of us and nine of you, not counting the foreigners you've brought with you. They'll stay out of it. So let's see. Terrence you take the Weasle. Graham, I'll make it easy for you, take the squib, Longbottom. Millicent, you against the looney one. Frank, I think you can handle Potter. The rest of you, just pick whomever. I don't know their names, they're not important. Draco, it's you against me." Zabini told his crew.  
  
"Figure you can take me?" asked Harry, as he pulled out his wand and stood in front of Franklin Fratz.  
  
"With one hand behind my back, Potter."  
  
"Glad you have the confidence, now let's see if you can back that up." Harry raised his wand, but before he could cast a spell Frank sent one at him before Harry even finished his sentence.  
  
"Petricus Finiticus!"  
  
Harry felt his whole body go cold and he couldn't move. Frank smiled and raised his wand again.  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
A pain Harry hadn't felt in a long time surged through his body. It was almost unbearable and he felt himself began to retch again. Both spells faded and he fell to the ground. He'd underestimated Fratz.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted. Fratz wand flew out of his hand.  
  
"Accio!" Fratz returned. He got his wand back before it hit the dirt.  
  
"Incar-"  
  
"Everte Statum!" Harry's stunning spell hit Fratz straight in the chest, knocking him out.  
  
"Accio wand!" Harry took Fratz wand and broke it in half. He looked around to see how the others were doing. Seamus and Dean had already beaten Adrian Pucey and Theodore Nott. Seamus was now helping Luna against Millicent Bulstrode. Ron and Higgs seemed neck in neck, but Neville was struggling with Graham Pritchard. Harry ran over and yelled  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
Terrence Higgs fell over as Harry helped Neville back onto his feet. Lavender had just finished fighting off Maureen Hayworth and had started helping Parvati.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" Hayworth managed out through a fading immobulus spell. Harry and Ron rushed over to Parvati who collapsed to the ground.  
  
"Stupefy!" Ron screamed, advancing on Millicent, who was laughing.  
  
"Enervate!" Lavender cried, pointing her wand at Parvati's lifeless body. Nothing happened. She kept trying until Ron put his arms around her and pulled her away. Malfoy was still dueling with Zabini. Both of them looked tired and were bleeding. Zabini had a cut under his eye and blood dripped from his lip. Malfoy was clutching his side, his hand covered in blood.  
  
"Why doesn't he just kill him and end it?" Seamus asked, watching.  
  
"I don't think he wants to kill him unless he has to. They're friends, or were." Harry replied. His first instinct was to go help, but he knew they'd both turn on him if he tried.  
  
"Crucio!" Zabini cried out.  
  
"Finite Incantatem!" Malfoy's protection spell blocked the unforgivable curse easily. Zabini was getting frustrated.  
  
"Reducto!"  
  
A tree from behind Malfoy recieved the blow, and it hit with a huge bang, the tree broke in half and started to fall.  
  
"Luna!" Neville called out and jumped on top of her, pushing her out of the way of the falling trunk.  
  
"Arania Exumai!" Malfoy yelled. A bright light pulsed out of his wand and headed straight for Zabini, he tried to deflect it with a counter curse, but Malfoy's was stronger. It hit Zabini, sending him flying back into a tree and to the ground where he lay unconscious. Malfoy fell to his knees, breathing hard and still clutching his side. Viktor rushed over to him too, then Harry, followed by the rest.  
  
"Are you okay?" Luna asked, politely.  
  
"Do I look like I'm okay?" he snapped. He lifted his shirt. There was a large gash undernearth his ribcage. He flinched everytime he breathed in.  
  
"Ferula." Luna pointed her wand at the wound. His waist was covered in bandages. Viktor helped him to his feet. They glanced at each other, sharing a moment. Then Malfoy turned back towards the house.  
  
"Come on, we haven't even started yet and it'll be dark in a few hours." he told them, irritably.  
  
"What about Parvati?" shrieked Lavender .  
"We'll come back for her when we're done, or one of the others will find her. Come on, there isn't anything we can do." Harry told her. Ron tried to comfort her as they walked up to the house. The door opened as they reached the steps.  
  
"I've been expecting you. I see you've managed to get past your classmates. At least your skill shows I've taught you well. Hrm, although it seems that Zabini did get his fair share in on you." Lucius Malfoy stated, making note of his son's staggering walk and bloody hand. Draco straightened up to look his father in the eye. Lucius smiled.  
  
"Well good work son, you've completed your task. Potter, why don't you come in."  
  
"Completed your task? So you were working against us!" Ron yelled. Draco turned on him so quick, Ron hadn't had time to adjust to him being advanced on.  
  
"Just shut it and let me deal with him. He lies." he said, through gritted teeth.  
  
"Well so do you." Neville pointed out. Draco glared at him. They all followed Harry into the manor house.  
  
It was considered a house, but it was more of a small mansion than a country home. The enterance had it own hallway which led to two arches. The one on the left led to the study. Harry recognized it immediatly as where Hermione had been in his dreams. The one straight ahead other led to the kitchen and dining hall. On the right was a large stone staircase which led to a landing above the enterance way. Next to the staircase there was another door. Harry calculated from latest dream that it led to the room where the boys had been taken. Where Michael Corner's body lay on the cold stone table. He began to wonder where Lupin and Moody were. Viktor had said he'd seen them. He began to fear that maybe they'd been captured as well, and suddenly felt foolish for just walking into a death trap. He looked over at Draco, who looked worried underneath his calm and cool disposition.  
  
Lucius Malfoy led them into the study. Waiting for them there, where a numerous amount of death eaters. They were all wearing the black clothes and masks that Harry had become accustomed to over the past few years. Moody was lying on the floor. Harry couldn't tell if he was alive or dead. They had Lupin bound and dazed. Harry's stomach lurched forward. He gripped his wand tightly.  
  
"Aw, the poor ickle baby's come to try and save his friends." Bellatrix's voice sent the hairs on his neck on end, and his blood started to boil. A chorus of laughter came from the deatheaters.  
  
"He just doesn't give up does he? Like his father, he is." he heard another say.  
  
"If it isn't my little nephew, what's he doing running around with half bloods?" Bellatrix asked. She walked up to Malfoy and ran a finger along his cheek. Harry saw Malfoy flinch. She hadn't just ran it along his face, she'd left a thin cut which started to shine bright red.  
  
"We'll bargain with you. We've tried bargaining before, but I decided to give it another shot, for laughs. If you stay here and come with us willingly, we'll let your friends go. They can all go straight back to Hogwarts and it'll be like nothing happened. Well almost. There were a few casualities, as we were starting to get impatient with Dumbledore's refusals. But everyone else, I can assure you will be safe."  
  
"Even Hermione?" Harry asked. His grip on his wand was so tight, his hand began to go numb.  
  
"Ah yes, the mudblood. Speaking of which, Draco... we've found out something rather interesting about her, if you care to know..." Lucius said in a taunting drawl.  
  
"Why should I care?" he replied. The smirk on his father's face grew into a merciless grin. Harry knew exactly what was coming up, he'd dreamt about it the other night. He'd tried telling Malfoy, to prepare him. Now it was no use.  
  
"Apparently, she's with child. She's approximatly two months along."  
  
"Now I wonder how that happened." Bellatrix commented in a sing-song voice. Draco continued to show no emotion and stared at his father.  
  
"What'd you do to her?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Shut your mouth, boy. This doesn't concern you." said another woman from the death eater crowd. Lucius grabbed Draco and threw him on the ground. Draco winced in pain from his injury and crumpled on the floor. Harry could tell he was trying hard not to break down and cry. Lucius kicked him.  
  
"Get up! I said GET UP!" Lucius roared at his son, then pulled him back up and struck him across the face.  
  
"Stop it You're hurting him!" Luna yelled out and jumped foward. The woman death eater who'd just spoken, raised her wand and pointed it at Luna. Luna quickly stopped dead in her tracks and retreated back to Neville's side. The death eater removed her mask, revealing a face Harry had seen before. It was Narcissa Malfoy. He hadn't seen her since the Quidditch World Cup, but her look was the same.  
  
"This is a family issue. You'd do best to stay out of it." She warned, lowering her wand.  
  
"I WILL NOT HAVE A HALF-BLOOD CHILD IN THIS FAMILY!" Lucius yelled, then proceeded to perform the Cruciatus Curse on his own son. The force of the spell caused Draco to start bleeding again. He remained on the ground, unable to support himself to get up. Months ago, Harry would have reveled in watching this, but things had changed. He couldn't just stand there. He didn't know if he'd be quick enough against the death eaters, and he knew by acting it'd be the start of another battle. He had to try though, he didn't like Draco, but for the time being he was a part of the DA and they'd stuck to together.  
  
"Everte Statum!" he'd pulled his wand out of his pocket as quick as he could and aimed it at Lucius, who hadn't been expecting it. He flew backwards into one of the bookshelves.  
  
"That was a very foolish thing to do." Narcissa smiled, raising her wand once again. Viktor and his group jumped in front of Harry. "The bargains off. Dispose of them." Lucius ordered the death eaters. 


	25. Call of the Full Moon

The death eaters began to advance, and Harry looked at the others. This was it. He leaned over to Neville, as Viktor started dueling with one of the masked Death Eaters.  
  
"I want you and Luna to go find the others while we distract them. Lucius is too busy with Draco, there's enough of us here to hold the others off for now. Get them out of the house and into a safe part of the forest. I'm sure Tonks will be around soon and she can get them to a safer place. The twins should be here soon, they can help." he ordered.  
  
Neville and Luna nodded and snuck out backwards, while Harry and the others started battling with the Death Eaters. Harry had to get his way to Bellatrix. He didn't know which one she was though. He'd lost sight of her when the dueling started. He sent a stunner spell at his Death Eater, knocking the masked figure to the ground. Someone sent a body-bind curse at him.  
  
"Finite Incantatem!"  
  
His counter-curse blocked it and he made his way over to help Malfoy. He got him to his feet. He was coughing up blood.  
  
"Hrm, yes I see. You really aren't all that much like your father. Risking yourself to save your enemy? Your father had more respect for himself than that." Lucius smirked and moved towards them.  
  
"Go away, Harry. This isn't your fight." Draco told him and pushed him aside. It took Harry a moment to register the whole sentence. Malfoy had never called him by his first name before.  
  
"Don't be stupid, you can't fight." Harry responded, and started dragging Draco away. Draco mustered up enough strength to push him away again.  
  
"This has nothing to do with you! Mind your own business!" he snarled, and turned his wand on him.  
  
Harry didn't have time to respond, a Death Eater hit him with a stunning spell while he had his back turned. He fell to the ground, trying to capture his breath. He turned around.  
  
"Aw bitty Potter being told to go away? There's something we left unfinished." said a woman from behind the mask, dropping the baby talk with her last sentence.  
  
"Don't kill him, Bella. The Dark Lord wants him brought alive." Lucius warned.  
  
"Oh, I won't kill him, I just want to make him squeal." she laughed, and raised her wand.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
Harry looked behind him, Draco had his wand up. Harry gave him a questioning look. He was a bit annoyed. He'd just been told mind his own business, yet he was involving in his.  
  
"Find Granger." Malfoy told him, with urgency in his voice.  
  
Harry turned back towards the fight, exasperated. He started making his way towards the door, waving in and out of fired spells and jinxes, and past Death Eaters and the DA. Someone grabbed the back of his robes just as he reached the door.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" the attacker hissed in his ear. Harry couldn't reach him with his wand, and no one had seemed to notice his capture. He struggled, but the Death Eater was stronger.  
  
"Ron!" Harry yelped as he was dragged out into the hallway. Ron sent off a stunning spell and went to help Harry.  
  
"Petrificus Totalus!" the Death Eater sneered, hitting Ron with the spell causing him to fall over. The Death Eater grabbed him by his arm and dragged him off with Harry.  
  
"Alohomora"  
  
The door leading to the room that Harry had seen earlier that day. The scent hit Harry's stomach immediatly. He started hoping it was just another dream, but seeing Michael Corner's body looking more lifeless than before, gave up any hope he had of waking up. Zacharias Smith, Colin Creevey, and Terry Boot had already been rescued. Harry was confused. Neville and Luna hadn't had time to get in the room, it'd still be locked. Maybe they hadn't beed rescued, but disposed of. His heart sank as he was thrown into a corner. The Death Eater removed his mask. It was Macnair, and he wore an expression of eagerness and hunger.  
  
"Colloportus!" he yelled to the door. It closed at his beckon. He turned back to Ron and Harry, his wand pointing at them.  
  
"Now this was just too easy. You see this here, it's called the Iron Chair. It's one of my favourites. It'll leave such small holes, you'll bleed to death slowly. Now I'm not one for many muggle inventions, but I think they had the right idea with this here. Now which one of you would like to die first?" he snarled and moved in closer.  
  
Ron moved in front of Harry to protect him as Macnair reached for him. Harry protested and grabbed Ron, but Macnair had a firm grip. He pulled him up and was about to force him onto the chair, when a blood curling scream came from outside the door. Macnair dropped Ron and rushed to the door.  
  
"Come on." Harry whispered and helped him up. They pointed their wands at Macnair's back.  
  
"Confundus!" Harry yelled. It hit it's target, and Macnair stumbled back. He looked around bewildered. Harry ran over to Justin Finch-Fletchley and managed to get him out of the shackles. Ron grabbed Justin's other arm and flung it over his shoulder. They quickley rushed past the confused Death Eater.  
  
"Reducto!" Harry pointed his wand to the arch of the doorway. The stones began to crack and crumble, and with a loud crash the support system crashed and caved in. Macnair was trapped inside. The staircase began to wane without it's support. Neville and Luna came bustling down it followed by Ginny and Hermione.  
  
"That's the last of them!" Neville yelled from upstairs to Harry.  
  
"Watch out!" Ron called as the staircase started to fall apart. Ginny screamed and grasped the banner for support. It broke and Hermione caught her only just in time. A huge howl came from within the study. Harry tried to stretch his attention from the staircase to the study and back to the staircase.  
  
"Er... Hermione? What kind of moon is it tonight?" Ron asked, his voice cracking.  
  
"I don't know what's the date?"  
  
"The eighteenth..."  
  
"It's a full...moon." Hermione replied catching her balance as the stone steps began to make cracking noises and slide from underneath her.  
  
"Something tells me Professor Lupin didn't take his potion tonight..." Ron suggested, the look of worry on his face becoming more apparent.  
  
"How could he, he's been tied up." Harry mentioned. He turned to run towards the study, but Ginny screamed again. The staircase began to give way and began to crash down. Her, Neville, Luna, and Hermione jumped stones to try and get down faster than it was falling. Ginny had tripped. Neville quickly pulled her back up. They jumped off half way down and landed hard on the floor.  
  
"Ow!" Hermione flinched. She'd landed on her arm. Harry ran over to her, as Ron ran over to help Ginny up. Harry touched it gently, then looked up at her, worried.  
"I think it's broken. Don't worry about me, we need to help the others." she stated and winced again. Harry helped her onto her feet.  
  
"Ginny, help Neville and Luna take Justin out to the forest."  
  
"I knew you'd come, Harry." she smiled at him, then rushed off to help grab a part of Justin.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed over to the door leading into the study. Ron's prediction had been unfortunatly accurate. Instead of Remus Lupin, the fierce werewolf stood where he'd been bound. Strings of rope hung off his back as he breathed in and out heavily, snarling at the mass of people. The battle had changed. There was no difference between a Death Eater and a student in it's eyes. They were on the same side at this point.  
  
"What are you fools doing? Kill it!" Lucius roared above the noise of everyone screaming and ducking out of the way.  
  
"Do you expect us to just shoot silver bullets out of the end of our wand, because if you-"  
  
"You better figure out a way, or I'll give you a far worse death than that of a werewolf!" he yelled at the Death Eater who'd protested.  
  
Harry noticed Draco laying motionless on the ground. The werewolf moved towards him, smelling the scent of his blood. It let out a howl. Hermione screamed and rushed into the room. Harry tried to grab her arm, but was too slow. Harry and Ron rushed in after her. She threw herself on Malfoy's body as the werewolf advanced.  
  
"Arania Exumai!" Harry sent the pulse of light at it. It yelped as it struck. Then turned on Harry and growled.  
  
"Out!" Krum yelled to the DA members and started pushing people towards the door.  
  
"Enervate." Harry sent the reviving spell to Malfoy, and he regained conciousness. With Hermione's help, he pulled him up.  
  
"Can you walk?" she asked, soothingly.  
  
"I don't think so." he gasped, trying hard not to breath too deep. Harry and Ron were now trying to ward off the werewolf with more stunning spells. Hermione tried to get Draco to walk but he couldn't stand on his own. Krum ran over to help, as he ushered the last of the students from the study. Occasionally, a Death Eater would make a feeble attempt to hit them, but they too were trying to fight against the werewolf who'd already gotten a hold of one Death Eater and ripped into him like a chew toy. As soon as Hermione and the others were safely out the door, Ron and Harry ran after them. Fred and George rushed over to help Hermione and Krum.  
  
"What happened to him?" George asked.  
  
"Piss off, Weasley." Malfoy spat, and pushed them away. He nearly fell over again. He looked at Hermione who had her good arm around his trying to support his weight. He obviously couldn't think of what to say to her, so he began to avoid her glances as she helped him stumble into the forest with the others. All of the Slytherins they'd left earlier were tied up.  
  
"By the time we got back from Grimmauld's, we couldn't find you." Fred told Harry.  
  
"You arrived sooner than we thought. When we got here we found these lying around. We bound them up."  
  
"They had an aweful fit though when they came to."  
  
"But then we used to good old silencing charm, and now it's like they're not even here." explained George, with a smile.  
  
"They're going to kill Lupin aren't they?" Ginny asked as she gazed back at the house.  
  
"Not very likely. The others are on their way." Fred replied.  
  
"Anyway, we have a portkey." George interrupted.  
  
"Oh yes, we've been asigned the duty of transporting you all back to Hogwarts." Fred smiled. He pulled out a case of butterbeer.  
  
"The bottles were our idea." they said at the same time.  
  
"There are so many of us, that they had to make more than one portkey. Even with the six though, we're going to have to do two groups." enlightened Fred.  
  
"We were thinking we should send the Slytherins back first, and the most injured, each with a someone's whos not injured to make sure the Slytherins don't try anything. These will transport everyone to the hospital wing at Hogwarts."  
  
"That was Dumbledore's idea." added George.  
  
The first bottles were handed out to Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Ginny, Lavender, Cho Chang, and Neville. They took with them: Blaise Zabini, Adrian Pucey, Frank Fratz, Theodore Nott, Clara Watson, Millicent Bulstrode, Parvati and Padma Patil, Justin Finch-Fetchley, Zacharias Smith, Malfoy, and Michael Corner. Fred went with them and returned with the bottles.  
  
"Now the rest of you." he said as he handed out the bottles again. Ron, Harry, and Hermione grabbed the same bottle. Harry prepared himself for the feeling of traveling through a portkey, but nothing came. He opened his eyes and realized that both Hermione and Ron had let go. Everyone else had gone and the three of them remained. Harry turned around suddenly at the sound of twigs and leaves crunching. A Death eater stood just feet from them. They removed their mask, revealing the hideously ugly and worn face of Bellatrix LeStrange.  
  
"Tisk-tisk. Where do you think you're running off to?" she asked. She had gashes across her face which suggested she'd had a run in with werewolf Lupin. Ron and Hermione stood in front of Harry.  
  
"You're all Lucius has left to send after us? After all I've seen since I've been here, I'd have to say you're the worst of the bunch. Can't get anything right, such a pathetic excuse for a witch." Hermione snapped at her.  
  
"You shut your mouth, you little bitch. You've been causing enough trouble in this family." Bellatrix sent the Cruciatus Curse at her, making her scream and writh around in pain. Ron panicked and tried to attack by with a Stunning spell, which Bellatrix easily blocked using a protection spell that sent his stunner back at him, knocking him to the ground. She took his wand.  
  
"I'm going to kill you!" Harry screamed and attacked her. He didn't care what was happening. If he'd recieved any stunners or other spells, he couldn't tell at this point. The anger that'd surged through his body reached a breaking point. All he could think about was ripping her to shreds, to avenge Sirius. She threw him off her and laughed.  
  
"Growing up with muggles has definately taught you how to fight like one... like an animal. You think you're so big, well prove it and pick up your wand like a good boy and fight me like a wizard." she taunted. Harry reached for his fallen wand, but before his hand could close around it, Bellatrix accioed it to her with another shrill laugh.  
  
"I'll give you a head start. You have till the count of three to run."  
  
She wore a grin over her face that Harry could've thought was Voldemort's itself. He scrambled to his feet and took off as fast as he could through the forest. He didn't want to leave Ron and Hermione alone, but he had a feeling that she wouldn't be bothered with them. It was he that she wanted. Harry wondered what Voldemort had done to her after she'd returned, prophetless the previous summer. Obviously it was something bad enough to leave her with the same rage that Harry was feeling towards her. He felt useless, all he could do was hide and hope she never found him. He kept looking back. Her laughter was growing stronger, filling his head. Suddenly he felt weak. He could bairly move. His vision began to get hazy and he felt his head hit something hard, then there was black. 


	26. A Choice

"Harry. It's time to wake up." a woman's voice said sweetly. Harry opened his eyes. Everything was blurry. It took him a moment to realize he hadn't had his glasses on. He reached around for them, and realized he was in a bed. He found them on a table next to the bed. When everything came into view he looked around him. He was in a room. On the walls were different pictures of Quidditch players, zooming around their posters and waving. He quickly got out of bed. He wasn't wearing his black clothes and school robe. He was in pajamas. He looked out the window and realized he wasn't in Manchester any more, he didn't know where he was. The woman appeared at the door again. Harry's heart stopped. She looked older, but it was unmistakenably his mother.  
  
"Harry, are you all right? Did you have a bad dream?" Lily asked and walked over to him. She smoothed down his hair and cupped his face in her hands.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." he replied, finally.  
  
"Another year older, already sixteen." she sighed.  
  
She went over to his bed and made it. She told him to come downstairs when he was ready and that his friends were there. He nodded and went to his closet after she closed the door. He got dressed, still completly confused at what'd happened. Last thing he remembered was Bellatrix LeStrange chasing him in the woods. He had no idea where he was or why his dead mother was suddenly alive and wishing him a happy birthday, when he'd had his sixteenth birthday almost nine months ago. He went down stairs and saw Hermione talking with his mother. They were giggling about something. Ron was talking with another boy Harry didn't recognize, who looked about ten or so. Ginny was petting a brown Eagle Owl that'd arrived.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed and jumped up. She went over to him and gave him a big hug and kissed him. He was taken back by this and jumped away slightly. She gave him a confused looked.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked. He nodded and sat down at the table.  
  
"Happy birthday, Harry. I was just telling Sam about Hogwarts. His letter just arrived." Ron stated.  
  
The boy rushed over to him handing him a letter that Harry immediatly recognized to be a Hogwarts acceptence letter. It was addressed to Samuel Douglass Potter. Harry's head was spinning. Where was he? His mother and his father were clearly at the table, alive. This boy who had the same hair as him and same disposition was obviously his younger brother. Had he been in some sort of daze or dream the past fifteen years of his life? Was he truly at home with his parents. Harry rethought this and decided that was an impossibility. He pulled Hermione aside.  
  
"What's going on, Hermione? What happened? One minute we were in Manchester fighting Death Eaters saving you from Lucius Malfoy, and now we're here..."  
"Death eaters? Lucius Malfoy... is that Malfoy's father? Oh no, something must've happened when you fell off your broom yesterday."  
  
"Wait, fell off my broom?"  
  
"Yeah remember? You were training Sam for Quidditch and something happened, you fell about twenty feet. That's what your mother said." she replied, and felt his forehead checking for fever.  
  
"No. I didn't fall off of any broom. We were at the Malfoy's Manor in Stretford, Manchester. Lucius had taken you and a bunch of other students capture to get to me. Then he found out you were pregnant, and tried to kill Draco until Lupin turned into a werewolf. We nearly escaped and then Bellatrix tried to kill me, next thing I know I'm here."  
  
"Oh my God, Harry. What a horrible dream... it can't be real though. Bellatrix Lestrange is in Azkaban. Who is Lupin? And why would Malfoy's dad try to kill his own son? I mean, he's annoying but I'm sure his father doesn't see him that way. And I was pregnant? By who?"  
  
"She's not in Azkaban! Voldemort's back and she escaped! You know that Hermione, stop this! Lupin, remember our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher from third year? And you're pregnant by Draco." he was getting annoyed. She had to know, she was there. It was her that was crazy not him, even though he quite didn't believe this himself as he looked at his father who wore an expression of worry.  
  
"Oh, Harry... Lily, maybe we should take him to St. Mungos. That fall really seemed to do something to him." Hermione directed at his mother.  
  
"There was no fall!"  
  
"Harry, I can't stand Malfoy you know that, how could you think that I would EVER sleep with him, let alone associate with him. And He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named was defeated eight years ago by the Ministry of Magic. And I don't know who this Lupin is, Professor Quirrell has been our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher since first year."  
  
"Lupin, you say... how do you know of him, son? I knew him in school. We were close. I haven't heard from him in years though." James stood up and went over to his son. Harry broke down. Why was he fighting this? It's what he'd wanted, to have his parents back. It had to have all been a bad dream. Lily pulled Harry close to her and comforted him.  
  
"We should go to St. Mungos. James, dear can you get the floo powder?"  
  
"I want to wait for Sirius. He can watch Sam. I don't want to take him with us, he's too young." replied James. Lily nodded. She had Harry sit down at the table.  
  
"Eat, it might make you feel better."  
  
There was a knock on the door. Lily moved from the table to answer it. Harry's heart jumped. There in the doorway stood Sirius Black, alive and well. He looked no different than the Sirius in the picture Harry had seen from his parents wedding. Having not spent any time in Azkaban, he looked perfectly healthy. He smiled when he saw Harry.  
  
"Happy birthday!"  
  
"Er...thanks." Harry replied, and took a bite out of one of the pastries on the table.  
  
"We're taking Harry to St. Mungos. It seems that his fall yesterday has put him a state of delirium." James told Sirius. The smile on Sirius' face subsided. He and James stepped outside to talk. Lily grabbed the floo powder from the kitchen and came back.  
  
"It's time we go, you three can come as well. It might help if he has his friends there." she said and beckoned James to come back inside.  
  
They got to the hospital and sat in the waiting room. How long, Harry wasn't quite sure. A Healer eventually came out to meet them. He took Harry and the others to a room on the Ground Floor. The Healer told his parents and the others to wait outside. Harry had never been looked over by a Healer before. The man just looked him over and kept writing things down on a clipboard.  
  
"Don't you want to take my temperature or something?" he asked.  
  
"Why on earth would I do that? You haven't been eating any Freguilia leaves have you?"  
  
"Er...no, I don't think so."  
  
"Then why would I take your temperature?" he gave Harry a puzzled look, then excused himself from the room.  
  
Harry was starting to feel like maybe he shouldn't have said anything. He didn't want to be locked up in the same ward as Gilderoy Lockheart, but then he figured Lockheart wouldn't be there if Quirell was still the DADA teacher. The thinking confused him more, and he focused on trying not to dwell on it. After awhile, his father came into the room and pulled up a chair.  
  
"Harry, I want you tell me exactly what you saw. I've never mentioned Lupin around you, how do you know of him?"  
  
"He taught Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts my third year. He's a werewolf. You, Sirius, and Peter Pettigrew are unregistered Animungus." he started. He went on to explain how he'd saved the Sorcerer's Stone his first year, about the Chamber of Secrets. He continued on telling him about how Sirius had escaped from Azkaban to find Pettigrew. Then went on about the Triwizard tournement and the return of Voldemort. He found it weird when he had to mention how he, James, and his mother were supposedly dead and he survived with only a scar.  
  
Harry hadn't realized until right then, that there was no scar on his forehead. There couldn't be when his father was sitting across him, living. He felt up to his forehead. At that point, he started asking his own questions.  
  
"What happened with Voldemort?" he questioned. His father looked solomn, and it took him a moment to answer.  
  
"We don't speak the name, it's forbidden. So I have to ask him that you don't refer to him as that anymore. I'm not quite sure why you're having these ideas about what happened and I don't think now is the time to talk about it. Let's just keep this conversation between you and me. Okay, son?"  
  
"All right."  
  
"Well you've been looked over and he can't seem to find anything wrong with you, so we're free to go home. Don't tell your mother any of this though, okay? I'm going to try and get a hold of Lupin and Peter."  
  
"You can't go to him! He's a traitor! He's a Death Eater!" Harry jumped right off the bed and pulled on his father's cloak.  
  
"Harry, Peter's one of my oldest friends. I can trust him. What you know of him, simply isn't true. Now no more of this. We have to get you and your brother's things for school." James walked out, leaving Harry left there even more confused than before. He sat alone for a few minutes before going back out. Hermione put her arms around and held him close.  
  
"I'm so glad everything's going to be okay." she smiled and kissed him again. His stomach turned. This just wasn't right.  
  
They went back to the house to pick up Sam then went straight to Diagon Alley. The more Harry was around his parents, the more he forgot about the truth. This was what he wanted. He had his parents and Sirius back. Things felt right and for the first time in his life he felt safe. No one looked at him and whispered on the streets. He wasn't famous. He was just like everyone else. He was also apparently Hermione's beau, and he kept looking at Ron to make sure he wouldn't be attacked, but Ron didn't seem to care. He kept talking about a girl that Harry had never heard of before.  
  
"I recieved another owl from Fransesca yesterday, she's going to stay with us the last week before school. Mom wasn't so sure about it, but Fred and George talked her into it." he said as they got ice cream. They were leaving to catch up with his parents, when they ran into Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Watch it." he sneered at them.  
  
"Sorry." Ron said and quickly moved out of the way.  
  
Harry looked at him strangely. It wasn't like Ron to appoligize to Malfoy. Draco pushed past them, not stopping to criticize or even look at them. He realized that he hadn't even recognized them. He had no idea who Harry was. Though it felt odd, Harry was more than pleased with this and continued on with Hermione and Ron.  
  
"I still can't believe you had that crazy dream that I was with him. He's such a sleeze." Hermione commented as they walked into Ollivanders, where Sam was recieving his first wand. James smiled and beckoned for him to come over.  
  
"We were so proud when you got your first wand. Your brother really looks up to you, you know." He told Harry.  
  
When they'd gotten all their supplies they went back to the house. They had a huge dinner in honor of Harry's birthday. He felt home. He listened to Sirius and his father talk about Hogwarts when they went to school. Ginny kept asking about the pranks they'd pulled on Snape. His mother wouldn't partake in the conversation and gave James a look that warned him not to talk about it.  
  
"Your mother's always had a soft spot for that man. We used to tease that she fancied him."  
  
"Oh, stop James." she retorted. Both James and Sirius laughed.  
  
The laughing ceased though, and Harry fell over with agony. He couldn't see around him anymore, he could bairly breath. He forced himself to look up. The dining room had faded. Everything around had faded. He was soon pulled into darkness and the only thing he could see were two red merciless slits for eyes. He heard Bellatrix's laughter again, it was joined with a chorus of laughter. The room began to spin and Harry felt as if he was about to be sick. He felt someone put their hands on him and pull him off the ground.  
  
"This is what it could be like, Harry Potter. If you do as I say. You will rejoin your family, you can be oblivious to what's happening in the real world. I'm willing to be merciful and give you this, if you hand yourself over to me. I know you now have heard the prophet, you know what it said. Tell me and you may have this life."  
  
"And if I refuse?"  
  
"Well then death of course." Voldemort answered and laughed.  
  
"What you showed me wasn't real. It's not real."  
  
"Mmm... but it's close enough isn't it? I read your mind and feelings. You long to be back there with your parents. Tell me the prophecy."  
  
"How will I know you're not lying to me. If I give you the prophecy, how do I know you won't off me right then and there."  
  
"Because you're giving it to me freely."  
  
Harry thought about this. He wanted to be back with his parents again, where he felt loved and wanted. He'd wanted Sirius back and now was his opportunity to be with all three of them. Another voice came into his head though, one he didn't recognize at first.  
  
"Don't do it Harry, please. If you give yourself to him, he'll win. We'll have no hope. Only you can defeat him, please Harry." begged Hermione.  
  
"No! I won't do it."  
  
"Then I shall see you shortly." was all Voldemort replied.  
  
Harry felt himself breath again. His body was numb. He opened his eyes and looked up at the mass of trees lightened by the moonlight. There was no other noise around him. He was back in the forest in Manchester. He reached up and felt his scar. He looked down at his hand, dark liquid rested on the tips of his finger. What ever had just happened had caused his scar to break open again. He got up and looked around him. He started to make his way back over to where he'd left Ron and Hermione. There was no sign of Bellatrix anywhere. Both Ron and Hermione were unconcious, and now he didn't have his wand to revive them. Ron started to come to on his own.  
"Your wand, I saved it." he grumbled and tried to sit up. Harry helped him.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You took off and Hermione tripped her, I grabbed your wand. We put the binding curse on her. Kingsley and Tonks are out looking for you."  
  
"If you got her, then what happened to you and Hermione."  
  
"The werewolf got out. I'm okay though, just a few scratches. He tried to bite Hermione, but something distracted him from out in the woods." Ron was having a hard time talking, he kept flinching. Tonks came running over to them.  
  
"There you are! You had us worried! Didn't know where to look. Called out your name, sent sparks, and began to fear the worst when you didn't reply. We need to get you back to Hogwarts now, Voldemort's on his way here." she said and wrapped her arms around him tightly.  
  
Harry nodded. He'd made the right decision, but he still felt empty for having to leave his parents behind again. He hadn't even been able to get Bellatrix back for Sirius. At least his friends were safe. Tonks found the Butterbeer bottle amongst the brush and dead leaves. Together they returned to the medical wing of the school. Madame Pomfrey came rushing over to them and took Hermione from Harry and Tonk's arms. She motioned for Ron to lay down in a nearby empty bed and told him she'd be with him in a moment. Harry looked around. Nearly every bed was full. Harry himself could bairly stand up. He was tired, all he wanted right now was real sleep. Dreamless undisturbed sleep. He felt himself give out and collapsed on the floor.  



	27. One Last Time

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, J.K. Rowling does (and she's very very lucky)  
  
hr  
  
bChapter 27- One Last Time/b  
  
When Harry woke up, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. He'd never felt so happy to be at Hogwarts than he had at that point. He sat up and looked around him. The room was nearly empty. He wondered how long he'd been out. The only ones still left were Malfoy, Colin Creevey, and himself. Madame Pomfrey, noticing he was awake, rushed over to him.  
  
"Well it's about time. I was wondering when you'd snap out of it." She said harshley, but with contentment in her voice and a slight smile. After she'd looked him over and made sure he was okay, she informed him that he had vistors waiting in the hall. She came back with Ron, Hermione, the Weasley Twins, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Lupin (who was bearing new cuts and scars), Moody, Neville, Luna, and Dumbledore.  
  
"I would've come on my own, but Poppy refused to let me disturb you." Dumbledore said smiling.  
  
"Oh, Harry. Thank you." Hermione said and threw her arms around him. He could tell by the sniffling that she was crying.  
  
"If it hadn't been for you, who knows what would've happened. Thank you for coming after us. I never got a chance to say it before." she added.  
  
"How is everyone else?"  
  
"Well the Slytherins were sent home for the rest of the school year, to rethink their actions. I have a feeling a majority of them won't be returning next year though. They'll go join Voldemort's army." Ron replied. Harry nodded.  
  
"Cho wanted to come too, but she couldn't seem to bring herself around to it. She's still rather shaken by the incident. Apparently, one of the Death Eaters had made her a personal slave, she has some things she needs to accept and lay to rest before she can really talk to anyone." Hermione told him.  
  
"What about the Patils and the Corners?"  
  
"Well I suppose they handled it better than some parents would've. Lavender's probably taking Parvati's death the worst." she answered. They were silent for a few moments. It was as if no one quite knew what to say.  
  
"Well, I just came in to make sure you were well. There are some things I need to take care of. I will be calling you and Mr. Malfoy sometime after he wakes." Dumbledore stated, then excused himself from the room.  
  
"How is he, anyway?" Harry asked looking over at Malfoy's bed.  
  
"We weren't sure the first week. He finally woke yesterday. There's been some irreparable damage, but they don't know the extent yet." Hermione replied sadly, looking over her shoulder.  
  
"How long have I been out?"  
  
"Two and a half weeks, mate. Dumbledore said Voldemort had posessed you again. It took everything out of you. He kept you in a sleep for the first week because you kept waking up screaming. A few days ago you started sleeping on your own, and well today you woke up." Ron answered.  
  
Harry was free to go the next day. Malfoy still hadn't woken up. He sat through classes and they past him like a blur. He felt as if time was moving fast around him, yet he remained in normal speed. He was confused about his last meeting with Voldemort. He wasn't sure what'd happened after they'd left Manchester. When he had a free hour he decided to go find Hermione. He hadn't gotten a chance to speak to her alone, and she was too focused in class to reply to the notes he kept sending her. He found her in the library doing research.  
  
"Hey." he said quietly and sat down at the table across from her.  
  
"Hey, I've just discovered some very useful information for S.P.E.W.. I'm going to have to talk with Dobby next time I get the chance and ask him some questions. How are you feeling?"  
  
"That's what I was going to ask you. Are you still... um... well you know." he asked. Her mood changed suddenly, and she shifted in her chair.  
  
"No...Lucius took care of that...I'm not really ready to talk about it, Harry." she replied. He nodded and grabbed one of her books, opened it to a random page and pretended to be reading.  
  
"Have you talked with Malfoy at all since we've been back?"  
  
"No, Harry. I went to see him a couple days ago, but he yelled at me to leave. I really don't want to talk about it right now."  
  
"You'll have to eventually... and anyway, he'll be back to health soon. You can't avoid him the rest of the school year"  
  
"Well I'm going to try. It was a mistake. Now if you're only here to question me about Draco, your free to go." she told him, rather cooly. He thought it'd be very stupid to get up and leave at this point, so Harry remained where he was until it was time for their next class.  
  
The next day, Harry went to the hospital wing to visit Malfoy. Colin Creevy was awake again too. He shouted excitedly at Harry when he came through the doors.  
  
"Harry that was amazing! You saved us! I don't know what we would've done without you, honestly! I told my brother how magnificent you were, oh he's just amazed too Harry!"  
  
"Er... That's nice Colin." Harry responded and walked over to Malfoy who was watching the scene with what Harry took as resentment.  
  
"Trust me, you don't want this kind of attention." Harry said as he pulled up a chair.  
  
"Go away, what makes you think I want to talk to you?"  
  
"Oh, I know you don't want to talk to me. I'm almost sure you're wishing I was dead right now because we pulled you away from killing your father... but you know he would've killed you if we hadn't rescued you."  
  
"Shut up, Potter."  
  
So Harry shut up and just stared at him until he started getting on Malfoy's nerves.  
  
"Okay! What do you want?"  
  
"Well really, I came to see how you are."  
  
"Oh. Well I'll be okay. I've been trying to get Pomfrey to let me go, but the insufferable worry wort insists I stay here until I'm healed." he replied and glared at Madame Pomfrey who was tending to Colin.  
  
"Hermione said there were irreparable damages..."  
  
"Yeah well, it's mostly to my lungs and a few other organs. Nothing I can't handle though. I'll be able to walk fine again within a month or so." he said in a matter-of-factly tone.  
  
"Dumbledore wants to see us when you're up to it." Harry told him. "Why didn't you say something sooner." Malfoy responded, irritably. He climbed out of bed, flinching for a moment, then regained his composure. Madam Pomfrey rushed over.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
"Headmaster wanted to see me. Thanks for the bed and food, I've got business to attend to" He waved her away. He stopped to see if Harry was following. Harry jumped out of the chair and caught up with him.  
  
"Are you sure that was the smartest thing to do? You can bairly walk."  
  
"Since when do you care about my physical health? Anyway, I decide if I'm well enough to walk." Malfoy replied as he changed into his school clothes behind a screen. He grabbed his wand from the pantry and pulled Harry out into the hallway. They started walking towards Dumbledore's office. Harry had to stop and help Malfoy every now and then, as he was having trouble walking. Everytime though, Malfoy pushed him away. A third year Ravenclaw stopped.  
  
"Do you need any help?" she asked kindly.  
  
"Five points from Ravenclaw, don't talk to me again." Malfoy snapped at her.  
  
They turned the corner leading to the Gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office. Malfoy stopped abruptly, causing Harry to run straight into him. He looked over Malfoy's shoulder to see why he'd stopped. Hermione stood there, also frozen in her footsteps. She looked down at the ground, then back up.  
  
"Hi." she said, emotionless. It took a moment for him to respond, but it wasn't how she'd expected him to, although she felt she should've.  
  
"Her... Move it, Granger. You're in my way." he regained composure and stared at her.  
  
"Sorry... I'll see you tonight, Harry." she replied and walked quickly past them.  
"Why are you treating her like this? It's not all her fault, you know. It's partially yours too. I think she's lost it anyway. You need to talk to her."  
  
"When I want your advice, Potter, I'll ask for it." he sneered and continued on. Harry gave the password and they went up to the Headmaster's quarters. Dumbledore was waiting for them behind his desk. Faux was picking at his wooden post, making cooing noises like a normal bird. Dumbledore looked up and smiled.  
  
"It's good to see you walking and moving about again, Mr. Malfoy. Please have a seat, both of you." He nodded towards the chairs. They sat down and waited for Dumbledore to address them again, but he continued writing something down on a piece of parchment. After about five minutes he looked up.  
  
"Oh yes, I called the both of you because it seems that you two were the ones in charge of leading the group of students to Manchester. First I have to say, I'm extremly pleased to see that you two were able to put your differences aside. While both of you had different tasks you wished to complete, you were able to help each other along. I believe that it the best teamwork between Gryffindor and Slytherin that Hogwarts has seen in an age. You showed a perfect example of what I was speaking of when I said that I wanted the students to look at each other as equals and help each other along. I'm sad to say that your fellow housemates didn't follow suite, but no matter. It seems it is safe again to continue on with Hogwarts tradition and the House Competition has been brought back for the time being. For this extraordinary feat I'll reward both houses with fifty points. But I also cannot dismiss the danger in what you did." his toned changed and his smile faded and he continued on.  
  
"You were very lucky to escape with your life. Going out there when I told you that the Order would take care of it was an extremly foolish thing to do. I understand both of your urgencies to see that Miss Granger and the others were safe, but you should've come to me instead of trying to do it on your own. I think I might have been a little too leniant with your rule breaking in the past Harry, and I'm sorry for that. But you're still a student here at Hogwarts, and even if you don't add my immense worry for you, it is my duty to make sure you are just as safe as the others in the school. So all that went shall be serving a week's worth of detention with Professor Snape and letters have gone out to the parents, except for yours, as your father was there Mr. Malfoy. Now with that out of the way, I want to answer any of your questions, because I'm sure you both have a lot of unanswered questions."  
  
Both he and Malfoy started to speak at once. Dumbledore raised his hand and beckoned that they should speak one at a time. Harry got his question out first.  
  
"Why didn't you come to help us?"  
  
"I was detained here. I cannot speak of that yet, but as soon as I can I will let you know."  
  
"Where are the rest of the Slytherin's?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"The nine that followed you were sent home. I didn't feel the need to expell them, because they were not acting out of their own accord. They were under the imperius curse. Those that do return next year are to recieve special classes in Occlumency, as we know the ones that are going to Voldemort's army will not be here for their final year. Students from the other houses will be taught as well, as a double Defense Against the Dark Arts. I've discussed this with Professor Snape, and we were also considering having you be assistant with this, Draco. You seem to have a good hand in instructing students, and some might be more willing to learn from you as Severus seems to have a somewhat bad reputation amongst the houses."  
  
"So does that mean Professor Snape is going to get the position next year?"  
  
"Yes, our current instructor disappeared after the Hogsmeade visit, we're still looking into what happened. He starts next week." Dumbledore replied. Malfoy smirked and looked over at Harry.  
  
"Why wasn't Professor Snape in Manchester with the other Death Eaters, or at least with Moody and Lupin?" Harry asked.  
  
"Hey it was my turn to ask a question!"  
  
"He wasn't there because he had other duties to tend to as a Professor at Hogwarts. Voldemort understood this, and excused him because he still believes that Severus is a useful inside tool and just like we've been trying to keep from him, he felt that by Severus being there, it could have exposed him and he's not ready for that yet. But I feel the time will come soon, and we've been working on what to do when that time comes."  
  
"What am I supposed to do the rest of the school year? I highly doubt the other Slytherin's will listen to me, even though I'm a prefect."  
  
"Then I suppose you'll be forced to take house points if they don't obey the rules. Your mind should be focused on your studies at this point. You both are extremly far behind. The NEWTs next year are going to be much harder than your OWLs were last year. You both did exceptionally well, but these determine your career after Hogwarts. Even if you remain working for the order, you will have to hold respective jobs out in the real world. You're both at an age now where this should be your main focus, social status in minut compared. I hope that answers your question, effeciently."  
  
"Professor, I had an odd dream... well I'm not quite sure if it was a dream. I was back with my parents... it was more real than a dream. Then Voldemort told me that he would give me that lifestyle if I gave him the prophecy. Can he really do that?"  
  
"Voldemort already has the prophecy. He knows that you're the only one who'll be able to defeat him. He posessed you while your guard was down and you were unconcious. He showed you exactly what your heart wanted to see. He was trying to trick you into accepting insanity freely. With you in St. Mungos, he wouldn't have to worry about you. Why he offered instead of just doing it or killing you, I'm not quite sure. My belief is he's becoming desperate. His attempts to capture you and kill you have all failed. He was sure you'd accept his offer and wasn't expecting that your love for your friends would overcome your longing to be with your family. As I've told you before, he doesn't understand love and death, and the power they have over a person."  
  
"You saw him?" Malfoy asked Harry, who nodded.  
  
"Is Hermione pregnant?" Harry blurted out. Malfoy shot him a look a fear and anger.  
  
"I knew one of you would bring it up." Dumbledore stated, solomnly. He thought for a moment before answering.  
  
"No, she is no longer with child. She was but Lucius deleted the pregnancy. We're still not sure if there is permanent damage. We won't know until she's older. I have to ask that neither of you discuss it with her. I've talked with Molly, and she will be spending the summer with her, because she's not ready to bring it up with her parents yet. Although I know you both care for her very much, she is grieved by the experience and has to fight her own demons and feelings about this. It's something that not even I can fullyunderstand, as she is a woman, and they are a bit confusing to all of us. " he smiled softly.  
  
"So what's to happen now? Was my father and the others captured?" Malfoy asked, trying to change the subject as quick as possible.  
  
"Most of them were caught and will be tried. Lucius however was not, along with a fair number of others, I'm sorry. We will do what we can to keep you safe over the summer. I'll call you before the end of the year to discuss this in more detail. Now judging by the time, you two should be off to dinner. The castle is safe now, and I do thank you for that." Dumbledore stood and walked them to the door.  
  
Harry went to Gryffindor tower without speaking another word to Malfoy. Hermione was there knitting and watching the fire. He walked over to her and sat down in a chair next to her. She looked up and smiled.  
  
"How'd things go with Dumbledore?" she asked.  
  
"Found out some information. Voldemort's still trying to dispose of me, but hasn't quite got a method for it yet. Lucius wasn't caught, but a lot of the others were. We'll also be learning Occlumency next year as well." he replied. She nodded and continued knitting. She screwed up and went back to undo her mistake, then frustradely threw down the knitting needles.  
  
"Harry, I need your help. I know you might not be up for it, but I need you to help me get into the Slytherin common room tonight." she pleaded.  
  
"Sure." he replied. She was about to argue with him until she realized he'd agreed. She blushed a bit and picked the knitting needles back up.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
They sat there in silence. He didn't know what to say to her because he didn't know how she would respond. Finally, Harry gave up and went upstairs. Ron was on his bed reading a book on the Unforgivable Curses.  
  
"Hey how'd you get that?" Harry asked and sat down on his own bed.  
  
"A note from McGonagall. After Parvati's death, I was curious. She was kind of reluctant but I finally talked her into it. How's Hermione? She won't talk to me."  
  
"I'm not sure, she won't really talk to me either."  
  
"Has she talked to Malfoy yet?"  
  
"No, I think she's going to tonight. She wants me to help her go see him." Harry replied and pulled out his bookbag and started looking over the homework assignments he'd missed.  
  
He wasn't in the mood to study, but he couldn't think of anything else to do. When ten o'clock came around, and he was sure Ron, Dean, and Seamus were asleep, he grabbed his invisiblity cloak which had been returned to him by Dumbledore and went back down to the Common Room. Hermione was asleep, still holding her knitting needles. He went over to her and put them on the table next to her. He nudged her a bit to wake her up.  
  
"You ready?" he asked. She stretched out a yawn.  
  
"I don't want him to know your there. If he does anything drastic, or tries to hurt me, can you protect me? I'm really not quite sure if he wants to see more or not, and I don't know what kind of mood he's in." he nodded in reply.  
  
He threw the cloak over them and they snuck out of the common room. They made their way down to Slytherin Common room. Goyle, who was now back to full health, was heading back into the Commonroom with a student Harry didn't recognized. He and Hermione followed behind them quickly. They went to Malfoy's room and knocked on the door. There was no answer.  
  
"He must not be in there." Harry told her.  
  
"Then we'll wait. I have to talk to him." she replied. They sat in the hallway between the Prefect rooms and the Common room for what seemed like an hour before they heard the familiar voice coming through the portrait hole.  
  
"Marks, what are you still doing up? It's past curfew. You have two seconds to get to bed before I removed points." he lectured. The scared first year jumped out of his chair and ran as fast as he could down to his quarters. Malfoy smirked and made his way over to his room. Hermione stuck her foot out, causing him to trip. He pulled out his wand and looked around bewildered.  
  
"Oh. It's you, Potter and your damn cloak. Where are you?" he started poking around near the wall.  
  
"It's me." Hermione whispered. He stopped groping the air and paused.  
  
"What are you doing here? Go back to Gryffindor Tower, you have no business here." he told her coldly.  
  
"Please, just let me in."  
  
"Fine. Come on." he opened his door and waited till he was sure Hermione was inside before closing it again. Hermione pulled off the cloak. Harry quickly moved away from her and found a place to seat himself in a chair near the fireplace.  
  
"Why are you so angry with me? What the hell did I do to you?" she started and advanced on him. He held his wand out to warn her. He hated her temper.  
  
"I'm not angry with you, Hermione. I just don't know what to say to you. What do you want me to say?" he replied.  
  
"How about admitting that you didn't just come to Manchester to get back at your father? What about telling me the one thing you've been afraid to say for months? Why don't you drop this stupid act that you've been playing at since December?"  
  
"What do you want to hear? That I love you?" he yelled back.  
  
"Yes, Draco!"  
  
"Fine! I love you! And if you ever tell anyone, I swear I'll-" she inturrupted him, forcing her lips on his. He dropped his wand and embraced her. They kissed feverishly. He pulled away and pushed her off of him.  
  
"Why didn't you tell Krum about us?"  
  
"What'd you expect me to say to him? 'Hi how are you, yeah sure I'll come and visit you this summer, oh by the way remember Draco Malfoy, the one I talked horribly about for over a year? Yeah, well we're sleeping together isn't that great?' It wasn't something I could just be open about. I mean how many people have you told about us? You wouldn't even admit it to yourself, let alone another human being."  
  
"Shut up. I have more at risk with this. You know he fancies you, you could have at least told him that you were seeing someone!"  
  
"No, I couldn't. Not without it leading at one point to who I was seeing. I never denied that we were together though. You're sure defensive about our relationship when others aren't around, but when even Harry or Ron questioned you, you'd just deny it and threaten them! Don't start on me about not telling anyone."  
  
"Do you have to argue with me about everything?"  
  
"What? I'm not the one who's arguing, Malfoy!" she screamed at him. He grabbed her wrist. Harry got up, ready to jump in. She tried to pull herself free, but couldn't. He forced her against the wall.  
  
"Just stop." he told her as she struggled. He kissed her again and let go of her. He placed his hands on her hips. She pulled off his school robe, and held onto him tightly. He removed hers and then placed a hand on her cheek, forcing her to look up at him.  
  
"I'm sorry about whatever my father did to you." he told her.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." she replied. He nodded and kissed her again. He pulled her away from the wall and over to the bed. She sat down.  
  
"We don't have to... if you don't want to."  
  
"I know that, Draco... I want to." she replied and began to unbutton her school shirt. He nodded again.  
  
They undressed and Malfoy climbed into the bed next to her. She kissed him tenderly and pulled the blanket over them as he climbed on top of her. She ran her fingers down the cut on his side. It was healed, but left a deep scar.  
  
"That'll always be there. My father did something to it, it won't heal properly." he explained.  
  
"Probably to remind you." she said, softly. He kissed her passionatly and nuzzled her neck. He pulled her on top of him as they started to make in love. He winced a bit.  
  
"You sure you want to do it this way? You're not well yet..."  
  
"I'm fine." he replied and kissed her.  
  
He kept his hands on her back, playing with the gentle curls of her hair as they fell over her back. She pressed her face against his as she reached climax. He closed his eyes and kissed her bottom lip, letting it linger. She removed herself from him and laid back down, allowing him to place himself between her lefs. She brushed away the bits of blond hair that'd fallen against his face and looked into his eyes.  
  
"I love you." he whispered to her. She bit her lip, then pulled him closer to her. When they'd finished, they layed there in each others arms.  
  
Harry sat back down in the chair. He'd realized why Hermione had been the way she was in Voldemort's vision. She was the one girl he could trust and who really understood him, aside from Ginny, and he could finally admit that he fancied her. He didn't want to see her with Malfoy. He had no choice at the moment though, if he were to leave, it would blow his cover and make the situation worse. He was stuck. He tried to focus on the fire.  
  
Hermione got out of the bed and started to get dressed again. Malfoy looked at her, confused. She turned back around once she was fully clothed.  
  
"Draco...we can't do this. It's not going to work." she told him.  
  
"What do you mean? We're out of school in a year, then what difference does it make. It's only one more year."  
  
"I know... but what's going to happen after Hogwarts? I'm not going to marry you and become some sort of house wife, and I know you. I know that's what you'll expect me to be." he started to responded but she silenced him with her hand and sat down next to him.  
  
"You may say that you won't now... but you're just not ready for this. You're finally beginning to see things for yourself. You need to figure that out on your own. I'm not ready for this either. I can't be with you." she told him. He pushed her hand away.  
"You force me to tell you I love you, you have sex with me, and then you tell me you don't think we can be together? Get out." he told her harshly.  
  
"Just-"  
  
"Get out! Keep your filthy mudblood hands off me, get out of my room!" he pushed her off the bed. Harry got up and went back to where he was standing when they arrived . He kept a firm grip on his wand, just in case. Hermione climbed under the cloak and they left the room.  
  
"What was that about?" Harry asked as they made their way to Gryffindor tower.  
  
"I thought that was what I wanted, to be with him. It's just not realistic. It can't happen. We're too different and he says he loves me, but he doesn't understand it yet. I'm also not sure if love is really what I feel for him, either. Thank you for your help. I'm sorry you were stuck in there with us. Please don't tell Ron."  
  
They threw off the cloak once they reached the Portrait hole. They gave Violet the password and went to their rooms.  
  
"I promise I won't say a word, Hermione." Harry vowed before she left up to the girls' dormitory. She smiled at him and went up the stairs.  
  
hr A/N: There's only one more chapter left. I was going to make this one 2 chapters, but decided against it and made it one. I have started writing a sequel though, so any unanswered questions will be answered there :) I'll post up the first chapter of that, as soon as I post the last chapter of this story. R&R please 


	28. End of Another Year

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters tear, but JK Rowling does and that's probably a better, hehe.  
  
hr  
  
bChapter 28- End of Another Year/b  
  
June came upon Hogwarts fast. The school was in a hiatus with finals. Harry threw himself into his studies so that he wouldn't have to think or deal with anything else. Voldemort had gone quiet again and he quit having his dreams. He was also practicing Occlumency with Hermione almost every night and found it a lot easier to learn without Snape pressing his grudge against him. Dumbledore reinstated Quidditch in early May. There would be no cup, but they still played friendlies. Gryffindor played against Hufflepuff and won. Ravenclaw destroyed Slytherin, as most of the Slytherin team had been suspended and the new players weren't very good. Harry was kind of glad they hadn't had to play them, it allowed him to avoid Malfoy, who was doing his best to avoid him as well. He went back to throwing insults at him and Ron everytime they crossed paths in the hallways, but avoided them otherwise. He wouldn't even aknowledge Hermione's existance and talked over her everytime she tried to defend them. Harry found the peace and quiet a great improvement so didn't feel too bad about what'd happened. Ron had found out, about a month after, he'd forced it out of both Harry and Hermione. He didn't get mad as they'd had expected, he just laughed.  
  
"Bloody Brilliant, Hermione. You got back at him for everything he's done to us since first year."  
  
"That wasn't my plan, Ron, and that's not why I did it." she replied irritably.  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all passed their finals. Harry bairly squeaked by with an A in potions, but recieved mostly E's and no Ps or Ts which he was thankful for. Hermione was gloating again about her perfect Os and Ron was just happy to have passed. The last day of school arrived, and Harry packed for his last summer with the Dursleys. He felt something pull at his stomach. Only one year left, what would he do afterwards? He wouldn't be allowed back at his Aunt and Uncles, which suited him just fine. He just wasn't quite sure what he was going to be doing a year from then. He still left some hope in his heart for becoming an Auror. Next year he'd have to study really hard to pass his NEWTs and he wasn't looking forward to it. He was quite hoping that Professor McGonagall had been serious about helping him.  
  
Once he finished packing his belongings he made his way to the Great Hall for the Leaving Feast. He met Ron and Hermione in the common room and they all walked down to together. Malfoy was waiting outside the portrait hole leaning against the wall. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Wanted to give us some parting words?" Ron asked. He leaned in close to Hermioneand handed her a note.  
  
"Read it when you can be alone." he looked over her shoulder at Ron and Harry. He kissed her cheek, sneered at the others and left to walk to the feast on his own.  
  
"What's it say?" Ron asked immediatly.  
  
"I don't know, I'll read it later." she told him, shoving the piece of paper into her pocket. Ron looked at Harry, who shrugged.  
  
The Great Hall was filled with the chorus of the school saying their goodbyes and making last minute conversations. Discussions of what everyone was planning to do during the summer, how the fifth years felt they did on their O.W.Ls, and some about which house had won the house cup. Harry found a seat next to Ginny who was talking with Lavender.  
  
"They really are just perfect for each other, and so cute together." Ginny giggled. Lavender nodded.  
  
"Who's cute together?" Hermione asked, sitting down between Ron and Harry at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. Didn't you hear? He asked her to come and visit him during the summer to introduce her to his grandmother. They've been an item since the beginning of April." Ginny replied, giggling again.  
  
"Are you serious?" Ron asked, looking over at Luna who kept looking back at Neville with a silly grin on her face.  
  
"Honestly, Ronald Weasley, where have you been?" Lavender gawked and rolled her eyes.  
  
"I guess you're right, they are a pretty good couple. They've been close since last year." Hermione replied.  
  
She kept glancing over at the Slytherin table. It seemed Malfoy had gone back to pretending she didn't exist. They'd gotten used to the empty look of the Slytherin table. There were only a handful of students left. Goyle had gone back to being Malfoy's follower and together they kept the Slytherin's that remained in line. Not that any of them trusted Malfoy, but were too afraid to say anything as his attitude had gotten slightly worse.  
  
Dumbledore came into the Great Hall and took his place aside the other teachers. Once the rest of the school trickled in and took their places at their tables, he stood up and silenced the school.  
  
"Another year has come to an end at Hogwarts. It's been a rather dark year, but in the end I've think we've succomed to the challenges and have shown our strength. I have never been more proud of a class as I have been this one. Though we have lost a few along the way, you've stood by each other and are here today. I hope that when you leave this school for the summer, you will stay true to those morals you've lived by while here this past year. Darker times are still ahead, but the unity, if held strong, will show it's power in the end." he paused as the students clapped.  
  
"Now there is a matter of the house cup. There are fewer points this year, as the competition was thrown out to create a bond, but I have decided to continue on, as it is tradition here at Hogwarts. Most of the points have already been dealt out to those who deserved them. There are just a few more I'd like to award before I announce the winner. To those who went captive during March, for each of you I award twenty house points. Not to make light of the situation, but to recognize your bravery and patience. Another ten points for each student involved with the rescuing of your peers, for relying on each other and showing the trust that can be made between all four houses. And extra five points to both Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, who took the extra risk to save them. You've shown your true courage and loyalty, and without that there might have been fewer here this evening. Now it looks like it's time to announce a winner. In fourth place with ninety points is Slytherin. In third place is Hufflepuff with one hundred and thirty points. Ravenclaw in second with one hundred and fifty points. And this year's winner is Gryffindor with two hundred house points." The banners and decorations all changed to Maroon and Gold, but even at the Gryffindor table there wasn't much celebration. Everyone was thinking about their friends that they'd lost. No one felt worthy of points for the ordeal, and they didn't want to be stared at like that.  
  
"I won't keep you long, as I see the hungry expressions on your faces. So I'll only say a few more words and those are hippldeedink, squeegy, and brog." he smiled. The crowd applauded again and food appeared across each of the four tables.  
  
"So are you going to see Krum this summer?" Ginny asked Hermione, as she piled food onto her plate.  
  
"Yeah, I think so. I have to return home for a week, you know to spend some time with my parents. Then Krum's going to pick me up from there. My parents are really excited to meet him. He's then going to take me to Bulgaria for two weeks. It'll be a nice vacation away from everything. Then I'm going to stay with you the remainder of the summer." Hermione replied.  
  
"It's always nice having another girl around, really. Even though Fred and George are gone now, I still have to put up with Ron."  
  
"Hey, I'm easy to put up with!" retaliated Ron.  
  
"You know what I mean. I can't talk about boys with you. You just throw a fit." Ginny shot back and giggled. She glanced at Harry but quickly returned to her food when he caught her eye.  
  
"I think she fancies you again, mate." Ron whispered to him. Harry smiled.  
  
On the Hogwarts Express, Harry sat next to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He watched as they left the train station and headed towards Kings Cross. His mind once again filled with worry about the next year. Ron and Hermione's bickering finally broke his train of thought.  
  
"You just like him because he's famous and so much older!"  
  
"Ron, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not like that between Viktor and I. Why are you getting so defensive over Viktor anyway? It's been a nice year without you getting jealous over every single boy I talk to or spend time with."  
  
"You wouldn't let me say anything about Malfoy, but trust me if I could've-"  
  
"Hey, what about that note?" Harry interjected.  
  
"Oh yeah." she reached into her pocket and pulled out the piece of parchment.  
  
Hermione Granger,  
I have nothing more to say to you, but I felt as if I should at least wish you a fair summer.  
My last words to you will be this:  
  
Let me confess that we two must be twain, Although our undivided loves are one: So shall those blots that do with me remain Without thy help by me be borne alone. In our two loves there is but one respect, Though in our lives a separable spite, Which though it alter not love's sole effect, Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight. I may not evermore acknowledge thee, Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame, Nor thou with public kindness honour me, Unless thou take that honour from thy name: But do not so; I love thee in such sort As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.  
  
Sincerely,  
Draco Malfoy  
  
Ron grabbed the paper from Hermione and looked it over. A confused look came across his face.  
  
"What's it mean?"  
  
"It's Shakespeare." she sighed and grabbed it back. She folded it up and put it back her pocket. She looked at Harry who gave her an understanding nod. She rested her head against his shoulder.  
  
When the train pulled into Kings Cross he said his goodbye to his friends. Mrs. Weasley told him that she'd send for him before the end of the summer as soon as she could. He joined the Dursley's and headed back to Privet Drive for his last summer in the muggle world.  
  
hr  
  
A/N: So that's it. It's short I know hides from garbage being thrown But as I've stated I've started the next installment. It'll be a Draco/Hermione one as well, and my plans for it will make it for a much longer fan fiction since I don't plan for anymore to this story after it. Thank you for all your reviews, hope you'll be interested in the next part :) 


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